I Don't Love Anyone
by crazykitteh
Summary: Bella is strong, independent & a fighter. She goes to Forks hiding from her past only to meet Edward. With people going missing is it possible that the darkness she's running from has followed her across country? My version of Twilight but follows a lot of canon elements.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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It was only years later that the little girl would know why this scent seemed to linger with her dreams.

A smell of barbecue. Smoke and meat cooking on a fire.

At four years old she didn't yet realise it was the scent of burning human flesh.

Whether it was the smell that woke her or a sound she didn't know but something did. Leaving her favourite bear tucked in under the covers, she climbed out of her wooden four poster bed and crept to the door.

She had to be quiet. If mommy found her sneaking around after lights out she'd be in big trouble. She might not be able to play with her cousins tomorrow.

Opening the door slowly, she peeked out. No one was going past and she could only hear the grown-ups downstairs slightly. Deciding to chance it she walked onto the landing and moved to the banisters of the stair case. From there she could over half of the downstairs hallway and no one down there would be able to see her unless they looked.

A single shoe was laying on its side on a step.

A shriek caused the girl to jump. The sudden noise came from somewhere downstairs and scared her greatly. She wanted her mom.

Moving quickly down the stairs, the girl gave the shoe a wide berth and held on to the banister as she went down.

"Mommy?"

When she reached the bottom step, she stopped dead. Her eyes were wide and the scream died in her throat. She'd never seen anything like this and it confused her as much as it frightened her. Instinctively she knew it was wrong, very wrong.

She was pretty sure that the woman lying on the floor used to be her godmother. It wasn't easy to know as half of her face had been torn off and blood splatter covered what remained.

A movement caught the little girl's attention and she looked to the doorway just as her mother appeared.

"Mommy!"

The pretty lilac dress which the girl had admired earlier in the evening while she watched her mother getting dressed was now torn and covered in red stains. One of her arms appeared to have been scratched badly and she was bent slightly at the waist. No longer was her mother the picture perfect woman she had been with lovely smooth hair, perfect make-up and always smiling.

She looked absolutely terrified as her eyes locked on to her young daughter.

"Isabella run!"


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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This motel room in Chicago was practically a palace compared to the last one she'd stayed in previously: a seedy and rather creepy place near the airport just outside of Atlanta. Here though her feet didn't stick to the floor, the bedding looked clean-ish and the bathroom had very few dirty marks on the floor.

On the whole Isabella Levitan was glad. She didn't want to spend another night in a rundown hole, especially as she'd never be able to sleep here anyway. Thankfully she'd been able to sleep on the plane during her flight from Atlanta to Chicago so if she didn't tonight it wouldn't be too bad. Issues sleeping were nothing new to her though she would have preferred to be a little better rested considering that she was travelling.

Briefly, Bella had considered getting a car and driving the distance. She'd always wanted to go on a road trip; they looked so fun in the movies but as she was alone she had a feeling that it wouldn't be as enjoyable. The movies had been fun because of the friends.

Tomorrow morning she'd be on another plane, this time flying to Sea Tac airport in Seattle. From there it was only two or perhaps three bus rides until she reached her destination. A small town where she would be finishing High School.

Forks, Washington.

It was going to take some getting used to. Her new school had only 357 students. The school she had attended had 600 and that was one of 65 private schools in New York whereas Forks High was the only high school in the town.

She would be in a town with only 357 high school age kids, chances where she would stand out. At least at first. She was desperately hoping something else would be going on, something to draw attention away from her. Though in a town as small as Forks, there weren't many chances for drama or excitement. Her grandmother had told her numerous times how tiny and boring the town was ands that why she was lucky not to be growing up there. For Bella, lucky was one thing that she definitely had never considered herself.

Sitting on the bed in the small room with peeling off green wallpaper and a unstable fold down table to eat at, Bella flicked through the television channels. It was a colour TV and the signal was fairly good. Not that she was going to watch it, she just like the background noise. Music, television it didn't matter to Bella as long as the sounds drowned out anything else around her. It wasn't that she felt uncomfortable being there on her own, she just didn't like to have to listen to the ether.

Briefly she considered calling Charlie, letting him know what was going on with her. Just as quickly though she decided not to. She could hear the Police Chief already lecturing her about the dangers of travelling alone and staying in such undesirable places.

She'd never been to Forks before and while she wasn't dreading it, she wasn't exactly jumping for joy either. Her Uncle Charlie seemed like a nice enough guy on the phone and the couple of times she'd met him but this was a huge step. Moving house, city, state and school. Giving up the life she had known for the past ten years or so.

Bella was no stranger to sudden change which left her cursing everything from the Universe to God and any other being of immense power. This was a different kind of change. It had taken Charlie a few months to convince her to come and live with him.

She was sixteen when her Grandmother had died and now she was seventeen. The judge had honoured her grandmother's wishes in her will that her independent, well adjusted and mature grandchild be an emancipated minor so for several months, Bella had continued living on her own. Charlie had been committed to getting his niece across the country and living under his roof.

Bella was honest enough to admit that it wasn't Charlie's wishes that had her finally agreeing to this. People were dying and though she knew she wasn't the primary cause, her continued presence was a factor. So like her grandfather before her, Bella was fleeing. Thirty years ago he had left America and disappeared somewhere remote in Asia. That obviously wasn't an option for Bella but Forks seemed to be as far as she could get without boarding a boat.

Sitting back against the flimsy thin pillows provided on the bed, Bella picked up her well thumbed copy of The Great Gatsby. She never completely relaxed but this was the closet she came. Escaping into a wonderful world completely unlike this one was a rare moment of happiness.

-x-

As the bus drove into Forks, For Blue Skies was playing on Bella's I-Pod and for a moment she wished she'd changed from that playlist. Maybe listened to something a little more upbeat that would get her hyped up. However she loved the song and it almost put her in a reflective mood, relaxing her as she was swept away by the piercing melody.

Stepping off the bus outside the Transit Depot in Forks, Bella was more taken aback than she thought she'd be. This was a really small town. Much smaller than she'd thought.

Pulling her larger bag onto her shoulder, she gripped the handle of her pull along suitcase and walked over to the pavement. It was only then she realised that didn't actually know where she was going. She didn't know where Charlie's house was.

Walking down the street, Bella glanced around looking for some kind of map. This town would have a map for tourist's right? Bella paused for a second wondering if this town had any tourists.

"Excuse me."

Bella spoke to a nice looking lady with short dark hair who stopped and smiled at her.

"Would you mind telling me how to get to the Police Department?" Bella asked her.

"Yes of course." The woman looked down at the junction of the road. "You see that corner?"

"Yes."

"Walk right down there and head along past the florists and you can't miss it." She smiled

"Thank you." Bella said

"Would you like me to walk you there?" She asked kindly, evidently wondering what a young girl wanted the Police for.

"That's very nice of you to offer but I'm sure I'll be able to find it myself, thank you." Bella said

Bella had listened to the directions carefully and was confident she'd find the building. Down this road a little and turn right. Very simple and not like New York at all. It would have taken her minutes at the most to find it without asking for any help whereas in New York she would have been looking for hours and hours.

This seemed like a nice town. The store fronts were more unique than the ones she was used to seeing. Not as many clothes shops, which didn't surprise her. These were more craft stores, places stocking outdoor equipment and even a couple of photography ones.

Bella continued walking and paused when the Police Station came into view. She took a deep breath, readying herself for this. It had been a while since she'd been around family and she just knew that he was going to have a lot of questions for her.

For a second she considered her appearance. Her long dark hair was up in a hair tie so that was okay and she hoped that she didn't look too bad considering she'd been on a bus for three hours after being on a plane for nearly five.

_Hope I'm at least halfway presentable_

Bella walked up the steps and pulled open the glass door. She stepped inside, still pulling the suitcase along behind her and looked around. The reception desk was unmanned and she couldn't see anyone through the small window.

Dropping her heavy bag to the ground, Bella started moving her shoulders to try and loosen them up a little. She didn't own very much so was a little surprised at how heavy her bag was. Rotating her shoulders, Bella walked over to the reception desk.

"Hello?"

There was a slight crash and a moment later a flustered woman with short curly dark hair appeared. She looked very surprised to see Bella, not recognising her. Was this girl a tourist or traveller who had got lost somewhere?

"Oh sorry dear, I didn't hear you come in. Now how can I help you?" She asked pleasantly.

"Is Chief Swan in?" Bella asked

"Yes, he is. I'll just call through to him for you. Now who can I say is here to see him?"

"Isabella Levitan."

While the receptionist made the call, Bella stepped back. This lady seemed pleasant enough but she was just the type to start asking dozens of questions as soon as she was given the chance. As soon as she went to school she was going to have questions and she wanted a couple more days of peace.

Or at least of not lying.

The door opened and there he was. Charlie Swan. Her uncle and the Police Chief. He was a slightly older version of an old picture she'd once seen of him only this time wearing a police uniform.

"Jesus it is you." Charlie said

"It's me." Bella said with a small smile.

"I thought you would call me from the airport. I'd have come to pick you up." Charlie said walking over.

He looked like he wanted to hug her but he didn't, stopping short awkwardly.

"You didn't have to do that, I know you're busy. I got here fine." Bella said trying to play it down.

"But it's a long way and you're only seventeen." Charlie said

Charlie wanted to say more. The thought of his young niece travelling such a distance disturbed him. He was a police Chief and knew all too well the dangers that could have befallen her. As he considered this, he took in the young woman standing before him. She looked so grown up compared to the last time he'd seen her.

"Wow. You're so ... you look so much like your mother." Charlie said with a small smile.

"Really?" Bella asked

"Yeah."

For a moment Charlie just stared at her before realising that was a little odd and that she may not appreciate it. He cleared his throat and glanced around, noticing that his receptionist Patty quickly glanced away, pretending that she wasn't eavesdropping. More than anyone, Charlie knew what gossip was like in a town like this. By the end of the day everyone in Forks would know that a mysterious young girl had turned up from out of state looking for him.

"Give me a second and I'll drive you home." Charlie said

"Okay."

Charlie walked back out the door he'd come in through and the woman immediately followed after him. Bella exhaled, releasing a breath that she didn't realise she'd been holding since she got off the bus.

_This was going to be okay._


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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The seven minute car ride to the Swan house made Bella wonder if it had been worth getting in the car at all. On the bright side she hadn't had to pull her suitcase along behind her. She sat in the passenger seat and took in the few sights that the town had to offer. The town had everything you would expect in a post office, small community centre, a grocery store and much to Bella's delight, a library.

Sooner than she expected, Charlie pulled the car up and Bella got out, looking around the street which she now lived on. It was unreal in its normalness, almost alien to her.

"Thanks," Bella said as Charlie lifted the case out of the trunk of the police cruiser for her.

"I can carry it up for you," Charlie said.

Bella smiled. "I got it."

The house was a sweet two story detached building. White panels on the front with a bay window that looked into the lounge. It looked like a very traditional home, a stark contrast to the high end apartments in Manhattan.

"It's not much but it's a roof over your head," Charlie said.

"I love it," Bella said and he looked a little surprised. "It looks like a real home."

The front yard wasn't very big but it had grass and a couple of empty boarders that could home a few plants. She wondered if she planted anything if it would survive and bloom. The garden was bare and she saw that it could be lovely in spring and summer with some bright flowers and shrubs. A large tree was on the other side of the house and just beyond that was the forest. It looked dark and nothing like the trees she knew from Central Park.

Standing there, Bella found herself gazing into the depths of the forest. In the darkness, shapes began to swirl. From nothing it transformed into something, taking shape almost like liquid.

"Isabella?"

Charlie's voice made her jump and she realised that she been utterly transfixed. It was a little strange and she was left with a rather odd feeling. Looking back she could see that nothing was moving now.

"Yeah, coming," She said.

Charlie unlocked the front door and she followed him in, bringing her bags with her. He led her up the stairs and along to her bedroom. It turned out to be the one at the front of the house which looked out over the small front garden.

"This is your room," He said and frowned. "Sorry it's not all ready for you. I was going to clean it out and throw a lick of pain on the walls. I can get this cleared."

There were a number of brown cardboard boxes in the centre of the room but apart from that, it looked fine to Bella. It had wooden floorboards, light off white almost cream walls and just off centre was a large double bed. There was a desk in the corner with a chair, a dresser and an empty book shelf. Bella was very surprised to spy a small, step in closet. She hadn't been expecting that.

"It's great Charlie, thanks."

It took just five minutes for the boxes to be removed. Charlie refused Bella's offer of help and she wondered if it the contents of the boxes were to do with his job. She knew that police officers often brought work home but what kind of cases could Charlie have that meant he needed to work that hard? Forks definitely didn't strike Bella as a high crime area.

After the boxes were removed, Bella was left alone to unpack and settle into her new home. She was thrilled that Charlie didn't hang around to make small talk. It was a positive sign of things to come.

Walking over to the window, Bella was pleased by the view. She could see a small part of the woods and she was reminded of what had happened outside earlier. Only now it was hard to place what that feeling had been. Something in her had felt drawn there and from experience she knew that may not be a good thing.

-x-

The closet was perfect and as she started unpacking her clothing to hang them up or put them in the wooden dresser, Bella mentally went through which of her clothes would be okay for school here. She didn't think Forks High students would dress anything like those in Manhattan. Designer clothes and stilettos wouldn't be the norm here.

A backless shift dress, no but a dark blue cotton maxi dress would be okay with tights and a warm jacket. It wasn't that the temperature was so drastic to New York but until she knew for sure how other kids her age dressed, she was going to keep her clothes simple. A pair of jeans, a shirt and some boots would do for her first day.

Charlie was going to get her registered at the school tomorrow and she'd start the following day. She had that time to get mentally prepared for her first day at her new school. A deep feeling of fear settled in her stomach and she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and forced herself to think of something else.

All she had to do was to get through high school. She had no idea what would happen after that but focusing on one goal at a time was advice she had received from a therapist last year and so far hadn't steered her too wrong.

It had been several months since she'd attended school and going back into that environment would be strange. Forks High would be very different from her former school. She'd always got good grades and hoped she would be able to catch up. She was more than happy to put in the extra hours to make up anything important she'd missed.

A car pulled up out the front pulling Bella from her thoughts. She walked to the window just as Charlie walked down the steps to greet the visitors. A boy with long black hair was helping an older man into a wheelchair and Charlie went to help. They must be from La Push, Bella thought, remembering Charlie mentioning in one of their brief phone calls that he went fishing with some friends from there.

Charlie and the man were talking and then suddenly they all looked up to the house, right at the window she was standing at. Bella jumped back, not sure if she could be seen or not. Her heart was racing and her stomach twisted in knots at the mere idea of them seeing her.

Walking away from the window, Bella went back to sorting through her clothes. She had found Charlie and was inside the house and for one day that seemed more than enough. Folding a sweater, she tried to focus her breathing and to calm her nerves. She heard the front door close and then Charlie was calling up the stairs to her.

_Shit_.

Leaving the room which was now her bedroom, Bella headed downstairs and stood awkwardly in the doorway to the small kitchen where everyone was. The boy was the first one to notice her, he grinned and she realised he wasn't much younger than her.

"Hi," He said

"Hi," Bella replied.

Charlie looked round and smiled. There was a hint of relief in his eyes when he saw her.

"Isabella this is Billy Black and his son Jacob," Charlie said "Billy, Jacob, this is my niece Isabella."

"Bella," She said preferring not to use her longer name.

Jacob gasped and Billy smiled, looking a little surprised. This wasn't what the father and son had expected when they came over. Bella hoped that she didn't appear as anxious as she felt.

"It's nice to meet you," Bella said

"You too," Billy said and looked to his friend. "Well Charlie, you're full of surprises."

"Quite a surprise for me. Didn't know she would be arriving so soon." Charlie said

"Where are you from?" Jacob asked

"New York." Bella said

"Wow. Must be a big change for you." Jacob said and she nodded. "You staying here for good?"

"For now," Bella said crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm going to finish school here."

Charlie and Billy went into the lounge to talk and Bella offered to get everyone drinks. It would give her a chance to look around and get a lay of the land so to speak. She found the glasses in the cupboard above the main counter top and set them down.

"I've never been to New York."

Bella spun round, eyes wide and found Jacob standing there. She didn't like people who crept up on her and lurked behind her. It always put her on edge and made her tense.

"What?"

"New York. I've never been," Jacob said.

"Oh."

"Did you like it there?"

"No," Bella said flatly.

As a city New York was great but her time there had not been pleasant and she'd been eager to escape.

"Is that why you left? You didn't like it?" Jacob asked

"Charlie wanted me to be with family," Bella said hoping that would at least put a pause in the questions.

Bella got two beers from the fridge and began looking for where Charlie kept the bottle opener. The first drawer she opened contained mostly take out menus which gave her a little insight into what her uncle lived on food wise. She found the bottle opener in the third one and removed the lids before pouring the beer into glasses.

"You didn't have any family in New York?" Jacob asked

"My grandmother died a few months ago," Bella said keeping her back to him as she spoke.

"Oh..."

With that one little word he managed to sound incredibly guilty and Bella felt herself softening slightly. This kid wasn't trying to be anything other than friendly. She was just on edge and feeling uptight about attending such a small school.

"I'm really sorry," Jacob said.

"You didn't know," Bella said, picking up the glasses and holding them out to him. "Take these in?"

"Sure."

Jacob left the room and Bella paused for a second by the kitchen table. It was a small kitchen with a table in the middle of it. The cabinets had paint peeling off and the oven didn't look like it was used very often. Bella had handled her own meals for years and she had a feeling that she would be here too for her and for Charlie. She wanted to do something to help out around the house.

"They said thanks," Jacob said, then chuckled. "Also it would have been fine in the bottle."

"Where they born in a barn?" Bella asked with a wry smile.

"Probably." Jacob laughed.

Bella was staring out the window towards the trees. She couldn't help but linger on the memory of what had happened earlier. Jacob walked over, standing a little too close for her liking.

"What can you tell me about the woods?" Bella asked

"Full of trees," Jacob said.

"Funny," She deadpanned.

"What do you want to know?" Jacob asked

"Anything. I've never lived right next to a forest. Should I be on the lookout for wolves?" Bella asked

"Thinking of going for a wonder Red?" Jacob smirked.

"Thought it might be a good place to go running," Bella shrugged, trying to sound casual and ignore his reference to Red Riding Hood.

"I wouldn't do that," Jacob said his shoulders dropping.

"Why not?"

"It's not really a place you should hang out. There's a beach on the reservation, perfect for running. I could join you sometime... if you, like, want to?"

Despite his attempts to sound smooth, it was obvious he was trying to move the conversation away from the woods. He wasn't as good at this as he thought he was. Maybe the girls on the reservation were a little more gullible.

"Don't tell me the woods are home to an axe wielding psychopath? I was just about to decide this town had no mystery whatsoever," Bella said with a playful tone.

"No axe wielding psychopath," Jacob said shoving his hands in his trouser pockets. "Just... you hear stories. Weird things happening when you go in there, y'know. People get really creeped out."

"Are you creeped out?" Bella asked.

"Me? Course not." Jacob said instantly straightening up.

-x-

After Billy and Jacob left, telling Bella how lovely it was to meet her, Charlie went to the grocery store to do a quick shop. He wanted her to have a proper meal her first night there so he was going to try and cook something. He had asked her to accompany him to give her a chance to get to know the town better but she had refused. Knowing her luck they'd run into more talkative friends of Charlie's.

Alone in the lounge, Bella found her attention drawn by the couple of photographs on the side table. The first one was of two young men, smiling happily at the camera with their arms slung around each other's shoulders. One of the men was Charlie and the second was Charlie's older brother Michael. The two brothers had never really been close, even growing up and once they left home, they just drifted further apart. Michael hadn't been at Charlie's wedding or even met his wife.

The second picture was of Charlie with an older woman who Bella presumed to be his mother. She had dark brown hair which had slight areas where it was greying and a kind face which made her seem very approachable. Not that Bella would know for sure as Charlie's mother, her grandmother, was not someone she'd ever met before.

Deciding not to dwell on her unusual family, Bella went up to her bedroom and looked around it. Even when she had unpacked everything it still wouldn't really look like anyone was living in it.

Alone now to think, Bella realised just how precarious everything seemed to her. She felt like she was walking on a tight rope and at moment she could slip and fall. That wasn't something she wanted to happen. This felt like her final chance and she needed it to go well. She'd left New York but if things fell apart in Forks, she didn't have anywhere else to run to.

With that firmly in her mind, Bella set about making this room more homey and hers. Leaving her clothes where they were, half on the bed and some still in the suitcase, she decided to get her books out. She hoped once they were lined up on the desk in order that she'd feel a little calmer. Thinking about the stories and characters concealed within helped her to relax and focus.

A lamp sat on the far end of the desk and beside it she placed a little black cat figurine which had belonged to her grandmother. The only item which was of any real value was her laptop which went on the desk as well. She kept a lot of important information on it as well as backed up on a portable hard drive.

The longer she was on her feet, the heavier they felt. It was beginning to spread to her legs and they quickly felt like lead. The last few days of travelling were starting to build up and she was finding it harder by the minute to keep her eyes open. She walked to the bed and pushed the clothing off it and back into the open suitcase. Once the bed was cleared she laid down on it, curling up into a tight ball and closed her eyes.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to Dooba for prereading this for me.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

Something was very, very wrong. Bella knew that before she had even woken up. When she opened her eyes, for a moment all she could see was white. As if a very bright fluorescent light was being pushed directly into her eyes.

Stark, unnatural white.

The overwhelming whiteness of not only the walls but the entire room hurt her eyes. It was like she'd never used them before and had to blink a couple of times before she was sure they were in focus. They were sore as if she'd got soap or shampoo in them.

"Hmm."

As she looked around she realised she had absolutely no idea where she was. Icy cold was the first sensation she was aware off and she looked down to see that she was lying, submerged in a white bathtub half filled with rapidly cooling water. Her arms were splayed over the edges, causing a soft dripping sound on the tiled floor.

The unnatural whiteness of the room was incredibly unsettling. There were no windows or doors and the bathtub she was, had been placed in the centre of the room. It was almost as if she was on display in this strange room despite there being no one around her.

Bella still hadn't moved an inch. Panic and confusion were building up rapidly inside her and she was struggling to remember how she got here. Despite the purity and innocence that the white atmosphere tried to portray, she knew there was evil in there. Everything about this place was completely wrong.

She just couldn't see whatever it was right now but she could feel it. Almost taste it on her tongue and it was nasty and bitter. Her heart rate continued increasing and she felt like her heart was going to burst through her ribcage.

The position she was in was very uncomfortable and she pulled her arms back into the bathtub.

Red.

Pain.

Her eyes were wide in complete horror as the blood dripped down her fingers and off her arms, causing reddish ripples in the bathwater. The pain hit her only when she saw the deep slashes that had been carved along her wrists. Her skin had been slit open with surgical precision, one long severe wound.

Blood ran down into long rippling drops and fell into the bathwater turning it red. Within seconds she was sitting in a tub full of red liquid. The wounds throbbed with such intense pain, worse than anything she had ever felt before.

There was a flash of bright light and suddenly the walls were red. As red as the blood streaming down her arms. Another flash and the whole room were in darkness. Her eyes ached and she closed them as a brighter flash of light returned the room to its former whiteness.

A high pierced screech caused her to look forward, away from all of the blood and the pain. Standing at the foot of the bath tub was a tall dark figure which somehow managed to be in shadow even with the bright surroundings.

It stepped forward and she screamed.

Clearly whatever this being was, it had been through some immense trauma. The stature indicated a man but it could have been a woman though what was left of the face gave no assistance in deducing. Flesh hung off bone in large flaps revealing muscle and bone.

This was a creature that had come straight out from the darkest depths of hell. It was the embodiment of everything cruel and wrong in existence. His dark, soulless eyes locked onto her and she screamed.

Bella's eyes opened wide and her fingers grasped the sheets. She'd mastered the art of waking up from dreams like that without making a single sound of distress. Before that she'd wake up the entire building with her screams.

The room was in darkness and the curtains were still open, showing the dark sky outside. She must have slept for quite a few hours for it to be night time now. Her door was closed. Charlie had probably done that when he got back from work.

As she sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, Bella realised she was sweaty and her clothes were sticking to her skin. It was a horrible feeling and she immediately wanted to jump in the shower. Walking to the window, she drew the curtains and picked up her phone from the desk to see the time. It was past four in the morning.

Somehow she managed to avoid stubbing her toes on the suitcase as she walked to put the light switch on. She quickly gathered her towel, toiletries bag and everything else she'd need for a shower and slipped quietly out of her bedroom and along to the bathroom.

-x-

Bella was fairly certain that Charlie had already left for work when she headed down the stairs the next morning. She'd managed to get a few hours more sleep after her shower but it was never as much as she should have had. After getting washed and dressed, Bella went down to the kitchen.

On the table was a note from Charlie confirming that he had left and would be at work until five o'clock. He apologised for having to work but she didn't mind, especially as she'd sprung this all on him. The last thing she wanted was for Charlie to feel bad when it was her fault.

Bella couldn't dwell on that though as she needed to get things done today, to get ready for her first day at school. The main one being that she needed to buy a car to save her from walking or being drive in the police cruiser. That wasn't exactly the first impression she wanted to make on her new classmates. She'd already realised she'd have to get a cab over to Port Angeles which would not be cheap. It would be worth it though it to get a car.

In New York she hadn't needed one but here she did. Unless she was going to rely on her uncle to drive her anywhere she wanted to go. That just was not an option. She was determined to keep a firm line between herself and Charlie. A line which was for his own good.

Bella found a directory in the desk and called the local taxi company upon which she learned that it would be almost a hundred dollars to get to Port Angeles. It took over thirty minutes for the car to arrive and then the driver was incredibly chatty. Immediately Bella regretted getting inside the car but at least on the way home she'd hopefully be in her own car.

"The rain is something you get used to. Twenty years I've lived here and I barely notice it anymore. Though being from New York I bet any rain is strange for you. For our tenth anniversary I took the wife there on a weekend away, took in a show, stayed at the Four Seasons. She was amazed that it didn't rain once."

_I will not kill the cab driver. I will not kill the cab driver. I will not kill the cab driver._

Bella just nodded and mmmed in the right places, all the while considering the best way to dispose of a body in a town as small as this one. She was sure she'd read of a rather prolific serial killer operating not far from Seattle. He'd managed to dispose of bodies all over the state and hadn't been discovered for years. The dense forest in and around Forks in addition to the Olympic National Park opened up a whole range of possibilities she realised.

Just as they reached Port Angeles, Bella pondered that these were the kind of thoughts she was going to have to keep to herself once she was a student at Forks High School. On the brightside she had finally reached her destination so she paid the driver and jumped out the car as quickly as she could, before he struck up another conversation about the weather.

-x-

Choosing the car was simple. Purchasing it was a different matter all together. In New York she'd never had a problem. She just handed over her Amex and that would be it. Evidently Washington weren't used to seventeen year old girls buying cars which were nearly twenty thousand dollars in price.

Between the inheritance from her mother that had been kept in a trust for her and the additional inheritance she received when her grandmother died, she could have bought the most expensive sports car on the market today without batting an eyelid. That was not something she would ever do though. Flashiness and extravagance were not something that Bella enjoyed.

Two hours and several phone calls to the credit card company later, the manager handed Bella the keys to a lovely new black Mini Cooper. It was exactly the car she wanted and it immediately brightened her day and her mood. She loved a car with character and she'd always had this particular one in mind for when she did purchase her first vehicle.

There was a shopping mall close to the car dealership but Bella didn't want to go in there. Instead she took a walk along the water, enjoying the sights and relaxing after her frustrating dealings with the people hired at the car dealerships. She bought a hot chocolate and enjoyed some time to reflect on everything that happened.

Being in Port Angeles, Bella couldn't leave without going into the book store at least. For some girls their weakness was shoes or bags or perhaps chocolate. Bella's particular weakness was book. She would have her own customised library if she could. Her favourite smell in the world was when she walked into a book shop in New York and caught the aroma of new books with freshly made coffee from the cafe on the second floor.

This store was smaller than the ones she was used to but as she browsed the new releases shelves, several hardbacks caught her attention. She knew that you should never judge a book by its cover but sometimes a cover just grabbed her attention. This book cover was red. A deep blood red that spoke of danger and suspense. Even the font of the title was unusual in its chilling elegance.

Bella picked the book up immediately and read the synopsis on the back, instantly intrigued by the mix of history, mystery and the supernatural. It was just the book to take her mind off the upcoming events of the next few days. Just thinking about it made her stomach lurch and she gritted her teeth, forcing the panic back.

Focusing instead on the books, Bella browsed the shelves. She found a couple of interesting looking books, though none as intriguing as the first she'd seen. Her tastes were varied and she didn't read very much romance but when she saw The Time Travellers Wife, she picked it up. The Lovely Bones was also a book she couldn't resist.

In all she spent about an hour in the store and may have gone slightly overboard but in her mind the more books she bought the better she felt. It worked in a similar way to chocolate though without having to worry about putting on weight.

As she was walking to the register she passed the stand of newspapers and magazines. The headline on one of the local papers caused her to stop in her tracks.

MISSING HIKERS

There was a subheading informing people that it was day three of the search and the police had nothing new to report as of yet. A few paragraphs into the story it was mentioned that these weren't the first people to go missing in the area in the last few months.

Seeing the headline sent her right back to the missing person's flyers which had been plastered around her old school in Manhattan. Students would stand out on the street handing them out to passersby and getting shops to put them in their windows.

As far as Bella knew, only parts of the missing in New York had been recovered.

-x-

On the way back to Charlie's house Bella stopped in at the grocery store and picked up some things there. She received curious looks from lots of people and several times the woman on the checkout almost asked Bella who she was. When she walked out, she was really hoping that something else happened soon in the town to distract from her arrival.

Bella drove home and parked her lovely new car on the driveway. She walked round to take the groceries in along with her bag of new books. Standing by the boot, she couldn't help but look over to the trees that lined the edge of the property.

"What's in there?" she whispered to herself.

She stared at the woods for a long time. Waiting. Waiting for the darkness to change again into liquid shadows. Like it had done before. To feel that pull, urging her to enter the cluster of trees.

It never came.

Bella frowned. Had she imagined it before? Was the whole thing in her head? Had tiredness and anxiety caused her to fabricate it? This was making no sense to her and she didn't like it. She forced herself to turn away from the woods. Picking up the bags, she walked inside the house without looking back.

She unpacked the groceries and put them away. With that done she decided to make dinner for Charlie. Her cooking skills weren't very diverse but she could cook a few dishes. She chose a pasta dish with a tomato sauce that she'd learned from the lovely Ada who had been the housekeeper for her grandmother's home.

With the radio on, Bella chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, herbs and garlic to add to the canned tomatoes and juice she used as a base. The smell as it cooked was delicious and she hoped that it was taste just as good as it smelled.

Charlie arrived home just after five and was stunned to find Bella cooking dinner. He'd already been a little surprised to find a Mini Cooper in the driveway.

"Hi. Hope you're hungry." Bella smiled.

"Yeah. I am," Charlie said taking his jacket off. "The car outside... is that yours?"

"I bought it today," Bella said.

The surprise was clear on his face. He knew that she had money but enough to buy a new car? Having a teenager living there was going to take some getting used to but Charlie realised he may have underestimated just how much. He'd never had children of his own and the only ones he saw on a semi regular basis were his friend Billy's children.

"What are you making?" Charlie asked her, deciding to change the subject.

"Pasta with a tomato sauce," Bella said.

"Smells good," Charlie said then told her. "You're registered at school. They are expecting you tomorrow."

"Great."

Bella flinched at the sound of her own voice. She did not sound very excited at the prospect. As she continued with preparations for dinner, she thought about what she'd seen of Forks so far. Could it really be as bad as she was expecting?

"I was thinking..." Charlie began sounding rather hesitant. "Maybe would you like to talk about your dad?"

Her fingers tightened around the handle of the blade to such an extreme, the manufacturing logo could be embedded into her skin for quite some time. At just the mention of her father she could feel a build up of anger so intense only several hours with a punch bag usually dispelled it.

"Why would I want that?" Bella asked.

Her chopping was getting more severe by the second. The knife hit the wooden board with harsh clipped sounds. Charlie swallowed seeing how on edge she was even with her back to him.

"Because he's your dad."

The knife was slammed down and Bella turned around to face him. This wasn't something she wanted to discuss.

"I don't even remember him," Bella said.

"I know. I hate that," Charlie said shaking his head slightly. "Do you think that you could ever forgive him?"

"Forgive him?" Bella said astounded. "We'd barely got through mom's funeral and he was gone. He left us."

For so long Bella had refused to think about him. Michael. The man who was biologically her father. Her mother was the only parent that she had memories of and for some reason, any recollections of her father had been lost. Michael had left almost immediately after her mother's death and hadn't been heard from since.

"I hate what he did, Bella," Charlie said.

"Then why bring this up?" Bella asked and then paled. "Is he here?"

"No! No," Charlie said quickly. "I don't know where he is."

Charlie could plainly see the panic in Bella's eyes at the mere notion of her father being in the same town as her. He hadn't meant to upset her or worry her like this; he just wanted to let her know that if she wished to discuss it then he would be happy to.

"Oh. It sounds like he is as good a brother as he is a father," Bella said coldly.

"I know that I didn't have a lot of contact with him after he moved to New York but he was my brother. I can't believe he would leave his family without a good reason."

"A good reason? Is there any reason that you would leave your family like he did?" Bella asked

Charlie knew that answer. He still loved his former wife and knew that nothing would ever have forced him from the side of any potential child that he could have possibly had with her.

"No," Charlie said.

"In one day I lost both of my parents. Do you have any idea how that feels?" Bella asked.

Charlie couldn't imagine the pain that she had felt growing up. Not having a mother or father there to comfort her or teach her. Going through every mile stone without a kind word from them. To come through that and not be a complete mess spoke of her character and resilience.

"This will be ready in five minutes," Bella said turning back to the sauce bubbling on the stove top.

"I'll just get changed," Charlie said.

It was a mostly silent dinner. Only a little tension lingering from their earlier exchange. Neither was big on small talk and the most conversation came at the end when Charlie praised her cooking. He insisted on clearing up as she had made dinner and she agreed.

Bella went up to her bedroom earlier than she normally would have, saying that she wanted to make sure she had every ready for her first day of school. Honestly she just didn't know if she would be able to keep it together with someone watching her.

Her fingers played with the cap on the bottle of sleeping pills as she sat on the edge of her bed. As much as she wanted to sleep, she couldn't help but replay the nightmare she'd had the night before.

She knew which would break her.

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A/N: Thank you to everyone who had read and reviewed this story. Also thanks to Doobawrites for prereading this for me!


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Quotes from movie used in this chapter.

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By some miracle, it wasn't raining when Bella drove down the highway towards Forks High School for her first day. The bad mood she'd been in when she woke that morning was so immense, she half expected it to influence the world around her, weather included. Instead it was dry and when she'd left the house, she'd even heard birds chirping. That had really annoyed her.

For some reason unbeknownst to her they chose to hide the school building behind numerous trees and shrubs. Driving down the road which led to the parking lot, Bella was very surprised.

Not a security guard in sight.

Bella parked in what she hoped was a free space, gathered her bag and steeled herself for the day ahead. She needed to go to the main office to check in as such and get her schedule. Taking a deep breath, she headed towards the large red brick building.

The office was pleasant, with simple furniture and a couple of watercolour paintings hanging on the wall. Just next to the large counter, where the receptionist sat, was a bulletin board announcing various upcoming events and clubs to join.

Bella walked to the counter. A woman with red hair, who was reading a trashy romance novel, was sat behind it. She looked up and smiled at Bella's approach.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm Isabelle Levitan. I believe this is my first day."

A small part of her was hoping that Charlie had got it wrong. That they had told him the wrong starting date and she had another day to prepare herself. That feeling grew immensely when she saw the woman's eyes light up in delight, as if all her birthdays had come at once. Bella's arrival definitely was big news in Forks and today the school would be the centre of that news.

"Yes it is. I'm Mrs Cope and I'll just get your schedule."

There were many piles of papers and folders that looked likely to fall over if you so much as blew at them. After a moment she pulled out a couple of pieces of paper stapled together and handed them to Bella. A map was on the front with each building clearly labelled and there was a piece of paper that each teacher had to sign.

Bella left the office and looked at what her first class was; English. Okay this day may not be completely awful. Only mostly awful. She put the pieces of paper in her bag and walked to building 2 which helpfully had a giant 2 painted on the side with white paint.

_Excellent, this place is idiot proof._

Bella kept her head down as she headed inside so she couldn't see the people staring at her, but she still felt them look. Their eyes lingered on her and she could hear the whispering begin. Her chest tightened to an almost painful degree and she quickened her pace. She followed a dark haired girl into the classroom and went straight to the teacher.

The teacher, a woman with greying dark hair took the piece of paper from Bella and looked from it to her and back to the paper again.

"Isabella Levitan?" She frowned at something.

"Yes."

"You're new to town?" she asked.

"Brand new," Bella replied.

"There's an empty seat at the back."

The still frowning woman handed Bella a book list as well as a copy of the book that could be used for the class. She seemed a little frazzled by the presence of a new student which was a little odd.

As Bella headed to the back of the class she looked at no one and sat down as quickly as possible. Half the class spent a rather long time rifling through the bags they'd hung on their chairs just to take another look at her. She felt like she had a flashing neon sign floating above her head.

"Okay class, today we are continuing with Paradise Lost," the teacher told them, holding up the book. "Turn to page 26."

Bella was glad. It was a book she'd read several years ago so she didn't have to worry about being too far behind, in this class at least. When she glanced at the reading list she saw that she had also read everything on that list. At her former school they had even covered Chaucer at the beginning of the term.

For the hour, Bella happily took notes on what they were reading; glad to not be the centre of attention. She knew pretty much everything they discussed already but note taking was something to focus on, so that's what she did. Unfortunately the hour passed rather quickly and the bell rang signalling the end of the class.

Bella paused to look at her schedule and that was when it happened. A dark haired boy walked over, pulling his rucksack onto his shoulder.

"You're the new girl," he said. "Isabella Levitan."

"Bella," She responded automatically.

"If you like I can walk you to you next class," the boy offered.

"I'm sure I'll find my way," Bella replied, moving towards the door as she looked at her schedule.

Government and Politics was her next class in building 4. She walked down the corridor towards the exit but the boy who had approached her ran after her, clearly not bothered by her brush off.

"I'm Eric by the way," he said with a smile. "Welcome to Forks High. I am happy to be your tour guide."

_Yeah, I bet you are._

"I have a map," Bella told him, holding up the printed out, basic map.

"But that won't give you the scoop and I got the scoop." Eric gave her a wink.

Eric accompanied Bella into building 4 where people still stared at her like she had two heads or something. Had this school never had a new student before?

"So, where you from?" Eric asked.

"East Coast," Bella said.

Her hand tightened on the strap of her bag in frustration. If this was any indication of what the day would hold she was not going to make it without exploding.

"Woah, cool." Eric looked impressed.

They'd reached her classroom and she dived inside as quickly as possible, leaving Eric waving after her. Her next teacher sent her to an empty seat without any fuss and she liked that. Students took any opportunity to gawk at her in this one as well, but she ignored it as best she could. Bella just stared at her desk as if it held the secrets to the universe etched on its polished wooden surface.

That changed in Trig when a dark haired girl almost seemed to pounce on Bella out of nowhere. Bella wasn't able to sit on her own in this class and her neighbour seemed to take that as an open invitation to grill Bella for any and all details of her life when the teacher paused in his lesson.

When the bell rang to signal lunch hour, the girl jumped up and smiled at Bella. It didn't seem like escape was going to be possible, not with this girl. It took her a moment to remember her name.

_J... Jennifer?_

"You have to come and sit with us. Everyone is dying to meet you. Let me tell you Bella, you are the hot topic."

"Jessica, hey."

_Jessica!_

Another girl walked over and smiled pleasantly at Bella. It was obvious that Jessica was popular, or at least wanted to be. She had an aura that Bella just didn't warm to and it reminded her of several very bitchy harpies back in Manhattan.

"Angela this is Bella, she's just moved here from the West Coast. Her uncle is the Police Chief," Jessica said with a hint of satisfaction.

Bella chose not to correct Jessica. Evidently she'd only been half listening when her questions had been answered.

"It's nice to meet you," Angela greeted Bella.

Immediately Bella got a pleasant feeling from this girl. She just oozed positivity, unlike Jessica who Bella was not warming to at all.

"You too," Bella said and it was almost completely true.

Jessica and Angela led Bella to the cafeteria block, not giving her any options to duck out. Thankfully though Jessica did all the talking so at least Bella didn't have to. Angela seemed used to being an audience to Jessica, nodding and hmming when necessary.

As they entered the cafeteria, lots of heads turned their way. Jessica was practically preening in delight at being the one accompanying Bella. She seemed to revel in attention which caused Bella to take a distinct dislike to her.

"This is where you get your lunch," Jessica said, leading Bella over to the canteen section.

"If that wasn't obvious," Angela whispered to Bella.

Bella got a bottle of water and a pasta salad, not having too much of an appetite just then. After the two other girls bought their lunches, they headed over to a table where some others were sat already.

"Everyone this is Bella," Jessica announced.

_If she makes me give an introduction I will slap her._

They all smiled pleasantly and greeted Bella as she sat down. One of the boys sitting there was Eric from earlier; he looked over and waved with a grin.

"Oh me and Bella go way back, old friends," Eric said grinning. "Don't we Bella?"

"Yeah, sure," she answered.

"How do you know her?" Jessica asked looking slightly outraged at the notion.

"She's in my English class." Eric told her.

"Oh with Miss Sykes," Angela said, nodding. "I had her last year."

Bella realised that must be what the teachers name was. Miss Sykes hadn't bothered to introduce herself in the class room. Had it been intentional or had it slipped her mind?

Bella forced herself to start eating her food, hoping if she did that then they wouldn't talk to her. She knew that questions would be unavoidable but she wished that would at least give her the chance to get a little settled.

"Have your parents moved here too?" A girl with curly blonde hair asked Bella, pleasantly.

"No. Just me," Bella answered.

"Where are your parents?" Jessica asked in disbelief, given that her parents wouldn't let her stay out past ten.

"Dead."

Bella hadn't thought about lying but that had been the official line in New York and she was used to answering that way. For all Bella knew her father could be dead at this point. She had heard absolutely nothing from or about him.

A silence fell over the table and Bella continued eating like the information she had just revealed was nothing. Jessica even looked slightly guilty about blurting out that question. Most of the table went back to their lunch and began conversations of their own but Jessica and Angela continued talking to Bella.

"So it's... just you?" Jessica asked.

"Yes," Bella said with a slight nod.

"Well you're living with your uncle, that must be nice," Angela gave her a smile.

"Charlie seems great," Bella agreed.

-x-

By halfway through lunch Bella was feeling slightly more comfortable sitting with these new people who seemed very interested in her. The staring and whispering from other tables had stopped, for which she was grateful, and the conversation at her table had moved on from centring solely on Bella. She got a sense that nothing very interesting happened in this town if her arrival was such an event.

With the attention Bella had been receiving since arriving today, she had been keeping her head down. She knew when she was being watched and had been getting that sensation all day. Only now, the feeling was very different.

Sitting back in the chair, Bella glanced up and looked around as if casually taking in her new surroundings.

That's when she saw them.

Her first thought was how on earth had she missed them so far? These were not the kind of people that you just dismissed as another face in the crowd. Each of them was highly attractive in their own, unique way. Not even in New York City, which boasted to be the modelling capital of the United States, had Bella seen anyone like this.

There were five of them, three boys and two girls. Each was as different in appearance as the one before them. They sat round one table together, completely removed from the rest of the students. One of the boys was huge, like he could be a professional football player and had short, slightly curled dark hair. The second was smaller but still appeared muscled. He had honey blonde hair that hung almost to his shoulders. The final one appeared younger than the other males though not by much. He had bronze-coloured hair and seemed to be sitting slightly apart from the other four at the tables.

The two girls...

Bella had to do a double take; they were so beautiful and also polar opposites. One was blonde, tall and could have been on the cover of Italian Vogue if she wanted to be. It surprised Bella that anyone had been paying her any attention with a girl like this in the room. The second of the girls was also lovely but in a different way. She was smaller and incredibly thin, fairly like in her delicateness. Her black hair was short and her smiling face made her look bright and shiny.

It wasn't their beauty that held Bella's attention but the similarities between these five people. They all had an aura of being almost unreal, like they would vanish at any moment. Their skin could have been porcelain it was so incredibly smooth and white.

"Hey," Bella said to Jessica. "Who are they?"

Jessica followed her eye line and then smiled when she saw who she had meant.

"The Cullens," Angela answered

"They're, um, Dr and Mrs Cullen's foster kids," Jessica said dropping her voice for some unknown reason.

"They kinda keep to themselves," Angela put in.

"Yeah 'cause they're all together, like _together_, together," Jessica said; giving Angela a pointed look.

"What?" Bella asked frowning.

"Uh, the blonde girl, that's Rosalie, and the big dark haired guy, Emmett, they're like a thing," Jessica said, and then added. "I'm not even sure that's legal."

"Jess, they're not actually related," Angela sighed.

"Yeah, but they live together. It's weird." Jessica shook her head before looking back to the Cullens. "Okay, the little dark haired girl is Alice. She's _really_ weird, and, um, she's with Jasper, the blonde one who looks like he's in pain."

Jessica's critical tone came through clearly when she spoke. It was obvious she was jealous and trying to make out there was something wrong and strange about them.

"Dr Cullen's like this foster dad slash match maker," Jessica smirked.

**"**Maybe he'll adopt me," Angela said laughing.

The fifth Cullen caught Bella's eye. His appearance was more boyish than the other two males and there was a beauty about him that you didn't always see in men.

"Who's he?" Bella asked.

"That's Edward Cullen," Angela answered.

"He's totally gorgeous, obviously. But apparently, no one here is good enough for him," Jessica said, picking at her lunch, trying too hard to sound casual. "Like I care."

Clearly she did care. Had she asked Edward out and been rebuffed? Jessica wasn't shy and seemed like the kind of girl to go after whatever it was she wanted. Aggressively. Bella didn't know if she would ask a boy out herself. She'd never met anyone who'd made her consider it before.

"Anyway, don't waste your time," Jessica told Bella.

"Wasn't planning on it," Bella said, wondering how many other girls in the cafeteria had. "They are all very..."

"They're gorgeous," Jessica exclaimed.

"Have they always lived in Forks?" Bella asked.

They just screamed outsiders. Like they had been dropped into the cafeteria from a different world. There was nothing whatsoever which indicated that they belonged in this school, or even this town.

"No. They moved here a couple of years ago. From somewhere like Canada," Jessica told her.

"It was Alaska I think," Angela disagreed.

Bella wondered how she could be considered interesting and gossip worthy with them in the town. Surely they would be the centre of attention for everyone. Though as she watched, Bella realised how separated from everyone else they were. The table they sat at couldn't be further away from the others without actually being outside.

"God I'd love to be a Cullen," Jessica sighed.

-x-

Angela accompanied Bella to her next class as they both had the same one, Biology. Entering the classroom, Angela went to sit in her seat while Bella walked over to the teacher's desk. There was only one free space in the entire room and Bella wasn't really surprised to see it was next to Edward Cullen.

Mr Banner welcomed her to the class and handed her a text book from his desk. She thanked him and headed to the empty seat at the work bench, keeping her head down. However she did sneak a peek at Edward, wondering what he would make of having someone sitting beside him.

Bella wasn't prepared for his reaction. He went completely rigid the second she approached him. His jaw locked as his hands gripped the edge of the table, like he was trying to rip it in half. The bronze haired boy appeared utterly incensed by something and Bella had a niggling feeling that it was her.

Sitting down on the stool at the table beside him, a deeply unsettling sensation came over Bella. Chills formed over her skin and she felt a sickening feeling deep in her stomach. Her instincts were screaming at her to run. To get out of the room and run away as fast as she could. It was a feeling she'd felt before and she knew what it meant.

Her life was in danger.

Mr Banner started his lesson but Bella didn't hear a single word. All around them students were taking notes, completely oblivious to the situation occurring just a few feet away. It seemed that no one had noticed Edward's strange behaviour, his reaction to her. Edward averted his face; one hand raised to his nose like was attempting to avoid a certain smell.

It was taking everything inside Bella not to react. Feeling this sense of impending danger and not doing anything went against everything she'd been taught. The only way she could have felt more threatened, in that seat, was if someone put a knife to her throat. She heard a tiny crack and realised that her grip on her pen had broken the plastic of it.

Bella was already sat as far away from Edward as possible but still he was inching away. He'd run out of seat if he wasn't careful. This was ridiculous and made no sense whatsoever to Bella. Why was he acting this way? Was it because of her? Bella was tempted to dismiss that idea because he didn't even know her, but she knew better than that.

Edward's nostrils were flaring and one of his hands fisted on his jean-clad thigh. He was as still as a statue, though also had an element of being ready to spring forth and attack at any moment. Bella knew that and not being able to do anything was driving her insane. She could feel tears starting to build up in her eyes as the emotions swirled inside her like a freshly shaken snow-globe.

Taking a risk, Bella glanced over to Edward and the furious, contemptuous anger in his eyes chilled her to the bone. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the very real threat that her entire being was trying to warn her about.

His eyes were black.

Dark.

Evil.

Bella took a breath but it died in her throat. Her heart felt like it stopped completely in her chest. A feeling of light-headedness washed over her, threatening to pull her down into darkness. A darkness she knew all too well by her eighteenth year of living. She fought against it, willing herself to hold it together.

Closing her eyes she saw his own staring back at her. Deep black pools that spoke of violence and death. She knew why he was so different, why his family were so blatantly outsiders.

Vampires.

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Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I really appriciate it.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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It was impossible.

Vampires in Forks? If Bella hadn't just seen Edward and his family with her own eyes she wouldn't have believed it. They went to school and walked around like they were no different from anyone else. In hindsight perhaps she wasn't being paranoid after all. If this town had vampires then what else could there be? What other things were lurking in plain sight like the Cullens?

The second the bell had rung in Biology, Edward had practically run out of the classroom and away from Bella. For a moment, Bella had just sat there at the table. She couldn't believe what had just happened. As the rest of the class filed out along with the teacher, a few of them glanced over at Bella but none of them approached her.

After a moment she had gotten up from the lab table, feeling rather unsteady on her feet and walked out of the classroom. Leaving the building, she had found herself stepping out into a light rain fall.

Walking to the parking lot, nothing else registered for Bella. Not the people, not the rain and not the fact that she hadn't returned her slip to the front office. All she could think about was that she'd moved to a town which had vampires living amongst its human residents. Vampires, who attended high school and succeeded, in passing themselves off as regular students.

When she got into her car, something she'd later have no memory of doing, she drove back to Charlie's house. Her actions were autopilot, basic survival skills consisting of removing herself from the situation or place which was or could be a threat. Instincts that had been ingrained on her from a very young age.

Once back at the house, she parked her Mini Cooper and immediately went inside. For once she didn't even glance towards the forest. She walked through the kitchen and headed up the staircase. Her bedroom had been her destination but halfway up her stomach lurched and she felt incredibly nauseous.

Bella ran into the bathroom and just made it to the toilet where she emptied the contents of her stomach into it. Reality was hitting her and hard; the realisation of just how close she had come to losing her life. Honestly, she was in shock and confused that she was still alive after feeling such a threat.

By the time she had recovered from her bout of sickness, her knees ached on the hard tile floor. She was breathing heavily and her head spun at the exertion which had been put on her body. She'd gone from a school day, to feeling her life was about to end to being left wondering what was really going on in this supposedly peaceful town.

The rush of adrenaline and fear were bringing back a lot of memories that were starting to really get to her. Today wasn't the first or even the seventh time that her life had been in danger. Compartmentalization was something she had mastered at a young age and it was a skill that served her well. Only now it was failing her.

A strange town, new people and a threat she wasn't used to facing had torn down all her defences and she felt terrified. Helpless wasn't a feeling she was used to having. There had always been a plan, a way to fight back but what could she do against a coven of vampires?

This should have been an escape for her, a way to break away from her past. Her chance to have some kind of normal life and yet on her very first day at school that had been shot to hell. She couldn't pretend that her classmates weren't all living, breathing humans. Not when they could be responsible for the sudden influx of missing people in the area.

Getting back to her feet, Bella forced herself to focus. She needed to pull herself together or this was going to fall apart. There had to be a way to make this work.

Bella entered her bedroom at a run and went straight for the top drawer of her dresser. She opened it and her hand was reaching inside when his presence registered with her.

He was in her room.

She continued searching the drawer until her fingers wrapped around cool steel. Did he know that she knew he was there? She only had seconds to act. As fast as humanly possible she spun around and threw the knife directly at him.

For half a second he just stood there as the knife sailed towards him. It was heading straight for his eye socket and what would happen was clear to both of them. The blade would slice through the eye effectively cutting it in half before lodging in the orbit cavity. Not that it would kill a vampire, only wound them until they removed the knife and healed.

At the last second his hand shot up and stopped the knife. The blade was a millimetre from his eye-ball. Her own eyes widened in shock at his lighting fast movement. He lowered his hand, keeping the knife firmly in his tight grip.

Bella and Edward stared at each other for a long moment. Her blue eyes locked with his rapidly darkening ones. Her heart was hammering in her chest with such ferocity that she was sure everyone in the vicinity could hear it, vampire or not.

It felt like an eon but probably was only a few seconds. Bella turned and ran towards the open door. Had he been human, she would have escaped but he wasn't and he was on her before she had even taken two steps. The speed was unlike anything she was used to and honestly, she knew she didn't stand a chance but she wasn't one to stand by and do nothing.

Edward's strong hands grabbed her shoulders and slammed her back against the dresser causing it to shake under the force and bang off the wall behind them.

"Who are you?" Edward asked, his voice like a chilling hiss.

"Me?" Bella replied in disbelief.

That wasn't what she was expecting. The question was more than a little strange and given that she knew he could hear her heartbeat, made no sense.

"What the fucking hell are you doing in my bedroom?" Bella asked him angrily.

"I need to know who you are."

Bella was struggling against his hold with every ounce of strength she possessed but she couldn't move a muscle. His fingers were digging in to her upper arms and she knew that she'd have bruises.

"My name is Bella."

"Not your name," Edward thundered. "Why do you smell like this? It's intoxicating."

Edward looked manic. The human façade she had observed in the cafeteria was long gone. He looked unnatural. Beautiful and yet wicked in his all-consuming anger.

"Smell?" Bella asked, with a frown.

"Your scent, it is enthralling. Utterly incredible. I can almost taste it just standing near you."

His words were alarming in a very disturbing way. From what she'd heard vampires weren't very chatty so why was he talking with her and not just killing her? That was clearly what he had wanted to do before.

"You like my perfume?" Bella questioned.

Edward roared in a mix of anger and frustration . This girl was infuriating him completely.

"No! Your blood!"

Edward released his hold and moved away looking furious. He began pacing the floor and Bella shrank back against the dresser. This wasn't a situation she could have prepared for. Being cornered by a vampire didn't happen very often. Usually they killed immediately or allowed their prey to run for the thrill of the chase. This was different.

"Are you going to kill me?" Bella wondered.

"I want to," Edward said turning his dark gaze on her.

"But you haven't. Not yet."

Her voice sounded stronger than she felt. This entire day had been incredibly stressful and it was taking all of her inner strength not to just crumble right there in front of him.

"I don't want to be like that!" Edward yelled, his whole body trembling with barely contained rage.

"Like what?"

"A monster!"

The fierceness and intensity of his answer was terrifying. It seemed impossible that the vampire before her could ever pass for human. That anyone could believe he was anything other than a horrific animal like creature.

"I don't believe you're a monster," Bella found herself saying. "I'm not stupid, I can see that you have a real darkness in you but I don't believe that's it."

Her fear was still very prominent but the clear conflict gave her a sliver of hope that he wasn't like most of his kind. A pure at heart killer wouldn't be so torn and wouldn't be standing there talking with her. He'd followed her back to her home yes, but he didn't seem to be as threatening as he'd appeared in the classroom.

Edward smirked, looking amused by her little analysis. Just then all he felt was darkness. Bella knew she couldn't be certain but it was a chance she was willing to take and she hoped appealing to his human side would help her stay alive.

"I watched you with the others. No one can impersonate a human so well without feeling some aspect of humanity," Bella told him firmly.

Edward was highly intelligent and he already knew there was something different about Bella. Her reaction wasn't one of someone who was being faced with a vampire for the first time. His presence had alarmed her but not because of what he was.

"You know," Edward said baring his white teeth when he growled. "You know what I am."

"Yes."

"How?"

"I didn't know right away," Bella said as Edward took another step forward, closing the distance between them. "Not until you were next to me and I saw your eyes."

Edward was right in front of her now and he could see how her body trembled and her eyes dilated in fear. It had been a long time since he'd had this effect on a human and the results were far more thrilling than he remembered. Her fear was delicious and as much as he revelled in it, a part of him hated himself for it.

Bella had never felt so much like prey before. The hours she'd spent training in martial arts, hand to hand combat and sparring meant nothing in this moment. He could snap her neck before she'd even realised that he'd made a single movement.

"You know what I am?" Edward asked with a low hiss.

"Yes," she whispered.

"What are you?"

No longer was he shouting, his voice was softer than before but in some ways, it sounded deadlier.

"I don't know," she whispered honestly. "Sometimes I just know things and it doesn't make sense and it's scary but ..."

Bella refused to cry in front of him. She forced the tears back, not willing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her like this.

"Are you...?"

Edward was reeling. His secret had been uncovered and as a result, his family could be in real danger too. She knew the one secret that could never be discovered by any human under any circumstances. Yet, she didn't seem to be shocked by it, by what he was. Only by his presence in her room and the fear he was causing.

The conversations that Edward had with Carlisle over the years replayed in his mind. His theories about Edward, Alice and even Jasper and the roots of their gifts which had manifested with such potency when they'd become vampires. As humans they must have had some traces of those gifts. With Alice it was difficult to say if she'd possessed any precognitive ability but Jasper admitted he was always thought of as very charismatic and a real charmer.

This girl... was she like that? Did she have a gift similar to what he had possessed when human?

Suddenly it was all too much.

In the space of a few moments everything he had known had changed and it was overwhelming, even for a vampire. Bella still looked terrified and he realised that perhaps he should do something to try to lessen her fears of him.

Except that Edward didn't even know where to begin in comforting this human girl. He was being forced to interact with a human in such a personal way and on top of that, he wanted her blood. To tear her skin open and feel that crimson liquid sliding down his throat. Those urges weren't diminishing at all. Even with all of that he still wanted to reassure her that he wouldn't hurt her because as much as he wanted her blood, he also wanted to protect her.

Those conflicting needs were driving him insane.

He needed to swallow much more than when he was usually around humans. Venom was building up in his mouth at an alarming rate, just from being in the same room as her. Her scent wasn't lessening in its impact upon him.

Edward took one step back and then another. He did that until his back was pressed firmly against the wall of the room. He had wedged himself in the corner furthest away from her. All the time his eyes did not leave her, even when he sunk down the wall to sit on the carpet.

"Are you alright?" Bella asked

"I don't... I don't know." Edward replied honestly, shaking his head as he spoke.

The anger seemed to be gone. He looked nothing like the wild animal he'd been before. His beautiful face had a look of bemusement and absolute confusion.

The ringing phone caught them both by surprise. Bella looked to the bag on the floor near the doorway which contained her cell phone and sighed. She didn't look to Edward, just crossed the room and bent down to grab the phone from the pocket. He didn't suddenly appear to grab the phone so she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bella, it's me. Charlie," he said unnecessarily as no one else had her number. "How was your first day at school?"

"School was ... okay. You know, school," Bella said.

Edward raised his head to observe her. She forced herself to relax a little, a trick she had learnt over the years. Deception was a skill she'd mastered quickly and as Edward watched her he realised this.

"I met some kids that seemed nice. Everyone was really welcoming and friendly. My schedule is okay and I've read everything on the English lit reading list already," Bella said, managing to sound a little pleased and excited.

"That's great, kiddo. Listen I don't think that I'm going to make it back home tonight, something has come up," Charlie said his tone turning serious.

"What happened?" Bella asked

"I've been asked by the Park Rangers to help out. Some students had a party there last night. They've gone missing," Charlie told her. "We need to organise a search."

"Of course. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Bella said glancing over to where Edward was.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I can look after myself." Bella assured him.

Charlie assured his niece that he would be in touch and they said good bye before hanging up. Bella clutched the phone tightly in her hands as she returned her attention to the vampire lurking in the dark corner of her bedroom.

"You're a good liar," Edward murmured.

"I have to be," Bella said.

Bella placed her cell phone on the dresser and took a deep breath before turning back to Edward. There was something she needed to ask him and the outcome could go awkwardly well or end with him ripping her throat out.

"More people are missing," she said flatly.

"So I heard."

Of course Edward would have heard her conversation, both sides. That could get annoying.

"Do you know anything about it?" Bella asked keeping her voice as even and calm as possible.

One second he had been sat on the carpet against the wall and the next he was stood directly in front of her. She jumped backwards only to find herself wedged between the wall and a vampire who no longer looked confused but angry.

"You think that I killed those people?" Edward asked barely containing his frustration.

"I don't know what I think right now," Bella stated firmly. "But you are a vampire and you come here and creep in my window. So I'm guessing this wasn't a social call."

She'd basically called him out on his intentions when coming here. It wasn't just to learn who or what she was, a large part of him had wanted to kill her when he entered the house.

"I need to understand what you are." Edward said easing back from her slightly. "Why you are so... why I'm so drawn to you."

Bella didn't understand his reaction to her either and had no answers for him. His continuous and unexpected changes in mood and behaviour were definitely keeping her on her toes.

"I didn't kill them. I haven't taken a human life for a long time." Edward assured her.

"...and the rest of your coven?" Bella enquired.

"None of them are responsible. I give you my word." Edward said

For some inexplicable reason, Bella believed him. She didn't think that he was responsible; it was just a question she had to ask. It would have been wrong of her not to ask.

Edward frowned, looking almost hurt by her question. Even though he had wanted to drain every drop of blood from her body, strangely he didn't like the idea of Bella thinking he was a murderer. This girl knew he was capable of murder but theoretically everyone was capable. Thinking and knowing were very different things.

"You really thought I killed them?" Edward asked her with a slightly wounded tone.

"Does it matter?" Bella shrugged.

Everything about this day felt like some twisted dream. Especially him standing in her bedroom.

"I think you should go now," Bella said looking down at her hands rather than at him.

"I can't."

"You can't? You are physically incapable of leaving the premises?" Bella asked sarcastically.

Outside of his family no one had ever spoken to him like this. With so much sarcasm and so little fear.

"I ...," Edward struggled for the right words.

"While you search for the end of-"

She'd been about to turn away from him but he couldn't allow it. He needed to see her face. Needed her. She was about to object but his hands held her face and his lips descended on hers in a searing kiss. It wasn't that he was restraining her or that he'd caught her by surprise which rendered her unable to move but the fact that his kiss caused a charge of electricity to surge through her.

Edward's lips were cool and firm against hers. Different but definitely not unpleasant. The longer the kiss lasted, the closer their bodies became as they relaxed into each other; his hard body moulded to her softer, smaller one. The way he kissed her it was like every touch of her lips quenched the thirst burning inside him. A thirst which he never thought could be sated.

Though as quickly as the kiss had happened, it ended.

Bella and Edward pulled back abruptly, both looking utterly shocked by what they had just done. Neither could believe what had happened. He may have initiated the kiss but she definitely didn't rebuff it.

"I uh..."

There was no end to that sentence. Bella just turned and walked out leaving him standing there. Edward watched her run and slowly raised his fingers to his mouth, still feeling the warmth from her lips on his own.

-x-

The glass had been in Bella's hand for almost five minutes and yet she hadn't moved a muscle since picking it up to pour herself a drink. She was still stood by the counter where the carton of juice was placed. It had been a series of mixed up actions and trying to do things haphazardly she'd entered the kitchen an hour ago.

An attempt to make dinner for herself had been abandoned as had her decision to look over her first report for English class. Whatever she tried to set her mind to dissolved into confusion and she knew exactly why.

The vampire up in her bedroom.

Bella had run down the stairs, nearly heading for the front door but had managed to stop herself from fleeing her own home. Though it didn't yet feel like her home. She'd gone into the kitchen and spent a good half an hour berating herself severely for kissing him back. She wished that she'd pulled back sooner or slapped him though that would have probably resulted in a broken hand.

Putting the glass down, Bella resumed her pacing. As freaked out as she was about what had occurred between them, she was even more worried about what would happen next; because she knew that he was still upstairs in her room. She kept asking herself why he had kissed her. He'd looked as confused as she'd been afterwards.

She couldn't very well spend all night downstairs so she decided to go back up. After all she needed to know how long he was planning on being in her room. He needed to be gone before Charlie came back from the search party.

For a moment when entering the room, Bella thought that Edward had left. A slight feeling of disappointment swelled within her until she saw him sat in the corner, elbows on his knees and fingers running through his hair. He didn't acknowledge her presence but of course knew she was there.

"Does it make sense yet?" Bella asked

"No."

His response was clipped and he instantly regretted it. This wasn't her fault. She couldn't control the way her blood smelled anymore than he could control his need for her.

"Why did you come here?" Edward enquired, once again surprising her with his sudden mood change.

"To Forks?"

"Yes."

"I had nowhere else to go," Bella answered honestly.

It was more honest than she'd been with anyone. In months. Surprisingly enough she didn't hate it. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, nearest the door. As if the bed being between them would go some way to deterring Edward if he tried anything again.

"You didn't seem happy today." Edward observed.

"Were you happy on your first day here?" Bella asked with a wry smile.

"No." Edward smirked.

Feeling a little more comfortable, Bella leaned back against the pillows to try and relax.

"Can I ask you something?"

"I broke into your house. I'm not exactly in a position to decline." Edward pointed out.

"It's about that actually." Bella murmured staring at the ceiling. "How easy would it be to get in through the window?"

"Easy for me. Not for a human." Edward said

Charlie may be the Chief of Police but the house wasn't exactly a shining example of home security. There was a tree outside the bedroom window which was how Edward had got in but could a human do what he had done?

"Are you worried about someone coming in? Someone besides me?" He sounded concerned.

"You can never be too careful," Bella shrugged.

-x-

Edward didn't move from his spot in the corner until nearly three in the morning. When he was positive that Bella had indeed fallen asleep. Most of the evening had been spent in silence but it hadn't been uncomfortable.

Slowly he rose and took a step towards the bed where she was laying. It was shocking and wonderful to him all in the same moment. The mere fact that she could fall asleep in the same room as a vampire was astonishing to him.

"You confound me..." Edward whispered.

* * *

Thank you to Dooba for helping me with this chapter and thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing!


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

At six in the morning the roads of Forks were mostly empty. The small maze of roads and green areas around the Sheriffs house were perfect for Bella to go running on. She could get up quite a speed and didn't have to worry about dodging people or vehicles.

When she'd woken up, Edward had been gone. He'd closed her window behind him and there had been no trace of him ever being there. Bella didn't know how to feel about that so she didn't think about him at all, concentrating instead on her running.

However when Bella neared the house, she could see someone standing by the tree in the front yard. She slowed down as she neared the path and walked up to the door without directly looking at him. She knew by the time she'd walked inside and gone up to her room, Edward would be back in there.

Bella got a bottle of water before going upstairs, pausing to take a few swigs. Something had changed between them and the prospect of seeing him again felt strange. Walking up the stairs to face him for a second time was markedly different to the first, after they had kissed. Somehow sleeping in the same room, only a few feet from him had been just as intimate as that kiss.

Edward was standing by the desk, looking at the piles of books when she walked in. He was wearing exactly what he had been yesterday so she didn't think he'd gone home.

_Does he have a home? A house like this? Jessica said he had a family so it's possible._

"You were gone." Bella said

"You had a nightmare. I didn't know if my presence..." Edward trailed off looking guilty.

"It wasn't you." Bella told him quickly. "I've been having them since I was little."

"I'm sorry."

"Did you go home?" Bella asked kicking off her trainers.

"No. I didn't want to go too far." Edward said looking around the sparse room. "Are your things being shipped from New York?"

"No. I'm all unpacked." Bella said walking over to her closet.

After grabbing some clothes she noticed the perplexed look on Edward's face as he looked around.

"What?"

"My sisters need a truck to transport their belongings." Edward answered with a small smile.

"Edward, I think it's safe to say I am nothing like your sisters." She told him firmly.

Once she had her clothes, Bella went to the bathroom to shower and get ready. She took her time doing so, wanting to put a limit on the time she spent with Edward. Something about him made her open up and answer any question that he asked her, no matter how personal it was. She had no idea what it was but she hated it.

Resting her head against the bathroom door, Bella dropped the clothes on the rug and ran her hands through her hair. She hadn't been in this town five days and already she'd lost control of everything. In this place she didn't have the resources that she'd had in New York or the couple of allies she could turn to.

Not that Edward seemed to be a threat. Though his interest in her could be a problem depending on what happened next.

Bella pushed those thoughts away and picked her clothes off the floor. She needed to get ready for school. After showering quickly, she dried off and got dressed. The house was silent but she was very aware that she wasn't alone there.

When she was ready, she left the bathroom and returned to her bedroom. Edward was standing by the window and turned round as she entered.

"Are you going to school?" Bella asked

"Not today," He paused for a second. "I need more time to get used to your scent."

"Okay."

Bella picked up her bag, pausing when she saw the sweater that she'd worn yesterday. She let go of the strap and grabbed the soft greyish material of the sweater instead.

"I wore this yesterday. It should smell like me."

She held it out to him and he stepped forward to take it from her before raising the piece of clothing to his nose and inhaling deeply.

"It does," Edward said with a thankful smile.

"Well I should go. Can't be late on my second day." Bella said and he nodded.

Bella lingered for a second and then left the room. He heard as she went down the stairs and then out the house. He didn't move or stop listening for her until her car drove out of his hearing range.

-x-

Algebra was a cruel way to start off the school day. Bella wasn't amused by this and it seemed to put the rest of the class in a bad mood too. Her seat for this class was at the front and she could hear her name being whispered behind her.

Today her attempts to block out the world around her weren't working as well as they had the day before. Just sitting in that room set her nerves on edge and it felt like hundreds and hundreds of bugs were crawling all over her skin. When the bell rang Bella hurried out as quickly as possible despite someone calling out for her.

It was hard not to run.

Run out of the building and out of the school. Away from the rapidly unravelling patchwork of a life she was trying to create. She knew that she could run. At any moment and to any place she wanted. After all she had money, a car and knew enough not to be found by anyone who may go looking after her.

_Edward_.

The thought jumped into her mind from nowhere and caught her completely off guard. She'd managed not to think about him since driving off this morning and leaving him at her house.

_Was he still there?_

Bella opened her locker and put her textbook on the small shelf. She'd hung her jacket in it first thing and briefly wondered if she would fit inside as well.

"Hi Bella."

It was a jump more than a turn but somehow Bella managed to stay composed when she saw Alice standing there. The petite dark haired girl looked almost unreal she was so pretty.

"Hi." Bella said

"I'm Alice. It turns out we're in the same class for History and I wondered if you'd like to look at my notes and see what we're covering." She said with a bright smile.

"Uhh..."

It wasn't often that Bella was rendered speechless but that moment she was. Jessica had told her that the Cullens don't talk to anyone but yet Alice had approached her like it was nothing.

"Okay." Bella said

Alice couldn't know that Bella knew they were vampires. It just wasn't possible. Edward hadn't had a chance to speak to anyone in his coven or family as he referred to it. Alice was interested in her too for some reason and it was a chance for Bella to observe one of them away from anyone else.

Bella had the next lesson free so she accompanied Alice to the library which was supposed to be quiet. The librarian smiled as they walked in and they headed to a table near the window away from the little computer area where the only students sat.

"Nice and quiet." Alice said as she sat down.

"You don't have to help me, you know," Bella said "I'm sure I can figure it out myself."

"I want to help. It can't be easy to come in halfway through the term and try to catch up," Alice smiled.

"You're speaking from experience," Bella suggested.

"Forks doesn't really seem used to the concept of outsiders," Alice said with a shrug.

Alice got her notebook from her bag and handed it to Bella for her to take a look. Bella had never seen such perfect handwriting. The notes were meticulous and well thought out. It read more like a textbook than a student's workbook.

"Wow. This will be great, thank you," Bella said

Bella took out of her own notebook and began jotting down a few points from Alice's work. While she did this, Alice observed her, taking in every detail she could.

"You're not like the others here," Alice said with a small smile.

Coming from a vampire that was funny.

"I knew it the moment I saw you," Alice continued. "You aren't self obsessed and boy crazy like some others here."

Jessica immediately came to mind. Bella wondered if Jessica had made a play for Jasper, Alice's boyfriend or maybe Emmett. She didn't think that either of them having girlfriends would really put Jessica off trying to nab them for herself.

"That's reassuring," Bella muttered.

"You have depth. Something that a lot of people your age are missing I've found." Alice said

Bella noticed her slip of the tongue but remained silent. This wasn't the place to reveal that she knew the truth. Alice was nothing like the vampires that Bella had come across before. She was sweet, a term that Bella never would have used to describe a vampire before today.

"Teenagers have no interest in depths," Bella bit down on her lower lip.

"What gave you your depths?" Alice asked leaning forward slightly. "I heard that your parents are dead."

"Yes."

"I was so sorry to hear that." Alice said kindly.

"Thank you."

She sounded genuinely sorry and not just saying it because that was what people said to those who had lost someone. Alice truly felt for her and was not just observing a social nicety.

"My parents are dead too." Alice told her.

Bella was slightly surprised. This girl was sharing something with her, something real. It couldn't be very often that a vampire got to tell the truth to a human.

"I was told that you were adopted." Bella said

"We would have all been lost without Carlisle and Esme." Alice replied with a reflective look as if she was remembering something from a long time ago.

"They gave you a home." Bella said and Alice nodded with a warm smile.

"I never felt I belonged until Jasper and our family." Alice told her. "It was fate."

"Everyone should belong somewhere. To someone." Bella said

"Don't you?" Alice asked

"No." Bella answered firmly. "I belong to no one."

-x-

Angela joined Bella in the queue to pay for lunch in the cafeteria. Jessica was holding court at one of the tables and they were both expected to join her and the others.

"I have Gym next and the last time we played hockey my ankles were swollen," Angela said.

"The first time someone hits you just hit them back. Harder," Bella told her firmly.

"I couldn't do that," Angela said looking shocked at the mere idea.

"You should. One swift whack and everyone will know not to mess with you. It's what I did," Bella said.

They walked over to the table where Jessica was with some other students who Bella recognised from yesterday. Eric was one of them and he waved when she sat down.

_What is wrong with him?_

"Bella, has you uncle said anything about the missing hikers?" Jessica asked as soon as Bella sat down.

"I know he's out there helping but that's all," Bella answered.

Even if she did know anything about it there was no way that she would tell Jessica. She thrived on drama and was somehow managing to be the centre of attention when discussing an event not even remotely connected to her own life.

"Why the fuck were they doing in the damn woods anyway?" A dark haired girl asked.

"I heard it was a 'Take Back the Night' kinda thing."

The boy who spoke was someone who Bella had seen in a couple of her classes but she hadn't actually spoken to yet. He seemed to be the popular guy at the school; the one that girls always smiled at and flocked around. The second that Mike Newton joined the table, Jessica focused all her attention on him like he was the perfect male specimen.

"What's that?"Angela asked

"The students hated that someone was turning the woods near campus into such a horrible place and wanted to reclaim it. Only once the beer was gone and the excitement wore off, loads of them got scared and went back to the dorms. A few stayed and now they're missing," Mike explained to the table.

"So stupid," The dark haired girl who had spoken before said, shaking her head.

"You think it's stupid for them to stand up for something which they believe in?" Bella asked

"I think it's stupid to go in the woods with a killer on the loose." The girl responded snarkly.

"Who said anything about a killer?" Bella asked

"Please it's so obvious there's some nut job with a machete camping out there."

"Lauren you don't know that," Angela said looking annoyed. "All the police have said is that they're missing."

"You think all these people are just missing?" Lauren scoffed.

"Maybe," Angela said firmly.

"Naive much? I thought you were smart." Lauren sneered, glaring at Angela.

"If they were alive then they would have been found by now." Jessica said siding with Lauren.

This was Bella's first encounter with Lauren and she did not like this girl at all. Her whole attitude was just unpleasant and made Bella instantly go on the defensive.

"Do you usually talk to people with such disrespect?" Bella asked Lauren out of the blue.

The table fell silent.

Lauren stared at the new girl in complete disbelief. She was as shocked that anyone, let alone this newcomer would call her out in public like this. Angela's jaw dropped and Jessica's head kept going from Bella to Lauren to Bella and back to Lauren.

"What?"

"You speak to them like you are the hottest shit and you're not. You're just another spoilt girl who likes to feel big. Honestly I do not know how you aren't punched in the face more." Bella appeared completely relaxed as she cut Lauren down with such precise and smooth words. "I know what you're thinking right now, you're thinking I'm a bitch and you're right. I am a bitch but I don't treat other people like shit."

Angela blinked, wondering if she'd fallen asleep. For a brief moment she wondered if she was dreaming this or if it really was happening. She'd always thought about saying something to Lauren but she'd never had the nerve to. She wasn't the only one looking surprised, everyone sitting at the table was.

"You're a bitch!" Lauren exclaimed when she could actually form words again.

Bella sighed. "I just said that honey, please pay attention."

It seemed Lauren had been dumb struck by someone standing up to her as she just sat at the table, staring at her tray of food. Angela worried that the silence meant she was plotting something. Bella had just made herself a target for the most vicious girl in the school.

"So Bella," Mike said with a grin. "We're heading over to the diner after school? Want to hang?"

_Sure. Give me a length of rope and I'll hang you from a tree._

"Sorry but I'm still unpacking. Getting settled and everything," Bella said with a faux smile.

If she spent an evening with half these people she could not be held accountable for her actions. Besides she probably still had a vampire lurking in her room, one that may have bipolar disorder if his recent behaviour was any indication.

"Maybe another time," Mike said with a shrug.

-x-

That afternoon when Bella returned home after school, she knew that the topic of conversation amongst the students would still be her little exchange with Lauren. Maybe she'd gone a little too far, especially for her second day of school, but she hated girls like Lauren Mallory.

Bella pushed that from her mind though as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. When she entered she smiled to herself at what she found. Edward was sat in the chair by the window with one of her books in his hands. It was such a normal thing that it surprised her a little. It had been a long time since she'd had anyone to come home to. Someone waiting there and pleased to see her.

"What are you reading?" Bella asked as he looked up at her.

"Pride and Prejudice. It's been a long time since I last read it," Edward said with a small smile. "How was your day?"

"Interesting," Bella said thinking back on it.

"Interesting in a good way?" Edward enquired.

"I haven't decided yet." Bella murmured as she took her jacket off to hang up in the closet.

Edward loved that she seemed to be at ease with him being there in her room. That she had left him in there that morning with her possessions, not concerned that he could go rooting around searching amongst them. For all she knew he could have read her diary while she was at school.

"What happened?"

"Your sister. Alice," Bella answered. "She came and talked to me. It was a little strange."

Edward stilled. He knew exactly why she had done that. Of course Alice had taken the first opportunity she had to approach Bella. By not attending school he had ensured that Alice would do exactly that. She'd want to know everything about this girl that she could.

"She knows."

Bella frowned. Edward hadn't meant for that to sound so ominous and dramatic but it turned out that way.

"She knows what?" Bella asked

"About us. That I'm here with you," Edward told her, scrambling to lessen the impact of the first two words because there was no them. Not yet anyway. A single kiss did not a couple make.

"You told her?" Bella asked him, wondering why Alice hadn't just said something.

"No."

"Then how would she know?"

Bella felt like she was trying to work out a riddle with a very obvious answer. Edward was frowning and looked almost guilty which she couldn't understand.

"Edward?" Bella asked.

"Alice would have seen that I was here... in a vision." Edward answered hesitantly.

"A vision?"

Bella's voice had turned cold. It made sense now and his reluctance to explain told her that he knew exactly what would happen. He could see it on her face as she turned from mildly confused to angry and upset.

"She has visions. Of the future?" Bella asked and he nodded. "So she saw you come here before you did?"

"Probably." Edward answered. "She doesn't see everything but I'm sure she would have seen my interest in you."

"A psychic vampire." Bella shook her head in disbelief. "Why am I surprised?"

"We're not psychic," Edward corrected then realised his mistake when her eyes widened.

"We?"

A feeling of betrayal had rooted deep within her and the intensity and depth of it didn't make any sense. She shouldn't feel this hurt that had had kept something from her. They'd only just met and hadn't invested anything in each other yet or in a relationship.

"I can hear people's thoughts." Edward confessed.

For a terrifying moment Edward thought she was going to pass out. She was already very fair skinned but she paled even more upon hearing his revelation. Bella stood rigid for almost a minute, processing what she'd learnt in the last in the short amount of time since she had entered the room.

"Leave."

"Bella?" Edward asked frowning.

"You need to leave." Bella told him firmly. "Right now. Get out of this house."

"Please don't tell me to leave." Edward pleaded a look of desperation in his eyes.

The depth of her raw anger was as shocking to her as his admission had been. Her head was starting to spin and the events of the last few days were piling up on her creating an overwhelming feeling of anxiety and distress.

Edward took a step forward and she shot back, her eyes flashing in anger as she glared at him. He was surprised by her reaction and selfishly hoped it meant she had become as attached to him as he was to her.

"Go!"

"Bella please let me-"

Before he could finish, a glass vase went flying at him and smashed against the wall. He'd dodged it easily but knew that if she did something like that again, she could end up getting hurt herself.

"Leave."

Standing there staring at her, Edward was sure that he'd never seen a human look so furious. Her hands were clenched fists at her side and she was radiating hostility. She wasn't going to be talked round, she was too far gone.

"Okay. I'll go." Edward said

Bella didn't move an inch until Edward had opened the window and jumped from the ledge. When he was gone she walked over and slammed the window down, the pane of glass shaking in its wooden frame at the force she used. The lock was ancient but she turned it anyway despite knowing it wouldn't keep anyone out.

She was so angry and it was as much as at herself as it was at him. Somehow he'd managed to have her thinking that maybe he wasn't a deceitful killer. Though if he had kept something like that from her, she couldn't trust anything else that he had said.

-x-

The storm had started early evening and the rain had hammered down until nearly midnight. Thunder and lightning tore through the dark sky illuminating the town and giving the view from Bella's window a very eerie quality.

Bella's initial anger had dissipated though the feeling of betrayal, while making no sense, still lingered. They known each other less than three days and yet it felt like he'd cut her to the bone by keeping something so important from her. She'd told him what she could do and he'd told her nothing, only confirming what she already knew.

She'd been restless since Edward had left. Not able to concentrate on anything which was beginning to make her feel stir crazy. The house suddenly seemed much smaller than it was. Confinement was not something she did well.

When the rain had stopped, Bella opened the front door and stepped out onto the path. It was very dark and the freshly fallen rain on the ground glinted in the moonlight. The silence though was unnerving for her. Nothing like the busy bustling city of New York where you couldn't go five minutes without hearing a siren, an argument or punch up. This was so different and the lack of noise was unnatural.

The air around her felt charged and alive. As if it was a living entity rather than what it was. Her skin felt tingly and she could feel the night's energy seeping into her body, like sponge absorbing water. It made her feel electric and that sensation was strangely addictive.

As she stood there, her attention drifted to the trees. Time of day didn't matter, the forest made her feel uncomfortable whether it was day time or night. She could imagine it was similar to the feeling someone got living next door to a grave yard, only Bella would much prefer that. Once buried in the ground, the dead rarely provided many problems.

Bella walked towards the woods without fully realising that she was doing it. Her legs were moving without permission from her brain. The closer she got to the opening of the line of trees, the faster her heart was racing in her chest. As she realised what she was doing, she began walking faster and faster.

Walking turned into a run.

Suddenly she was surrounded by trees and deep within the heart of the forest. Beneath her feet was moss and dirt scattered with fallen leaves of varying shades of green. Everything was dark and the canopy of trees above blocked out most of the moonlight.

Bella closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get a handle on herself. She wouldn't allow herself to freak out, she wouldn't. It was just a forest, just a forest. Bella repeated that to herself over and over again as she began to walk slowly, deeper into the woodland which led to the Olympic National Park. It was only when she moved further in that she realised just how dangerous it was. She hadn't made a conscious decision and now she was out there without any means to protect herself. No weapons at all and not even a cell phone. Though if it was a vampire killing then a weapon and cell phone would be of no real use to her.

_What am I doing out here?_

It wasn't a choice. Something had made her walk out her yard and into the forest. A force which connected to her, recognised something inside her and used it to pull her in.

She didn't know how long she had been walking. It could have been ten minutes or ten hours. The only sounds were her footsteps when she stood on a branch or twigs. If it hadn't been for Bella, there would have been no noise at all. No animals or little critters scurrying around like you would expect.

Bella stopped. She knelt down and pushed a large piece of tree back to reveal the soil hidden below. It took several attempts for her to move it given how heavy it was. When it was moved, she used her hands to start clearing away dirt. Quickly her fingers were covered in it, dirt becoming embedded under her finger nails. She kept on scrabbling, covering her jeans in the shifted soil but not caring in the slightest. Then she felt something solid in the dirt, something hidden there. Her hands moved faster and faster until it was completely uncovered.

Bones.

Discoloured rib bones buried in the woods. Ones that she had uncovered without any conscious knowledge of them being there.

* * *

Thank you to everyone supporting this story. Also a big thank you to my wonderful friends on twitter who support me in writing this.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Bella had never been so grateful for it to be a weekend as she was the morning she walked back to Charlie's house from the forest. It meant she could spend the next few hours in the shower, scrubbing the dirt and highly unsettling feeling she had off of her.

What had happened in those woods kept replaying over and over in her mind. It was disturbing for her to have been controlled like that because she had not gone that deep into the forest and uncovered those bones of her own knowing or free will.

Entering the house she found it just as she left it. Empty and silent. Not a vampire or police sheriff in sight. She left her boots by the door to clean off later and headed upstairs. She shut the bathroom door behind her and locked it before turning the shower on. Moving to stand by the sink, she gripped the edge with her hands, taking a couple of deep breathes.

"17, 35, 68, 85, 102, 119, 136..." Bella counted out loud, making herself focus only on the number sequences and nothing else. "153, 170, 187 ... 204 ... 221 ..."

Her counting stopped when she felt something very strange. Water lapped at her feet. Her breath caught in her throat and she opened her eyes, looking over to the shower to make sure that it hadn't somehow overflowed. It hadn't.

Stepping back, Bella looked down at the tiled floor of the bathroom and was stunned to see a large amount of water rushing across the floor towards her. It came up to her ankles and she took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.

"Okay …"

The water was dark, icy and it smelt fresh like a river or lake. Not salt water or tap water. Something long and thin was curling at her foot and she kicked out trying to free herself. Reeds or bulrushes were winding themselves around her feet and ankles. Her heart seemed to be thumping erratically in her chest and her breathe kept hitching in her throat.

By this point the bottom of her jeans were soaked and stuck to her calves as she stepped forward. The water got deeper by the second, more and more of it pouring in from an unknown source. She stared down at the rippling liquid and gasped as a face appeared looking up at her from the murky water.

On instinct alone she stepped back, afraid.

When a hand shot out the icy water and grabbed her round the ankle, she screamed and tried to scramble back. Her foot slipped out from under her and she fell back; arms shooting out to halt the fall, but finding nothing to grip hold of. Her head narrowly avoided smacking against the porcelain basin and she fell into the water, quickly going under.

Her arms thrashed manically in the water, trying to force herself up to the surface. She couldn't feel the floor at all beneath her. The water wasn't clear or blue; it was very dark and full of algae and leaves. Kicking her feet, Bella tried to push herself up but she continually found herself just out of reach before sinking further down.

With a final surge, Bella broke through the water and gasped, desperate for air to ease her burning lungs.

She froze.

Bella was sat on the tiled floor, next to the bathtub and the only water came from the running shower. She looked around with wide eyes, searching for any sign of what she'd just experienced but there was nothing. No lone leaves or reeds, no small puddle of water hinting to what had just submerged her.

The whole thing had been in her mind.

-x-

After what had happened in the bathroom, Bella had a strange urge to be around people. It didn't happen very often but when she felt that way, she didn't ignore it and decided to go to town. Out of experience Bella knew the more distracted her mind was, the less those hallucinations occurred.

After showering, getting dressed and forcing herself to eat some toast, Bella drove into town and walked to the library.

Bella stood at the front desk filling out the form to get a library card. She'd just finished it when she noticed the woman waiting to take out some books, her English teacher.

"Good morning Mrs Sykes," Bella said politely.

"Hmmm."

The way Mrs Sykes stared at Bella was one of the strangest things that had happened and given the events of the previous night and morning, that was saying something. This woman had such a problem with Bella, it made no sense at all.

Bella was about to walk off to browse the shelves when Mrs Sykes stopped her.

"You must take after your mother," she said suddenly.

Bella frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You don't look anything like your father. So you must take after your mother," Mrs Sykes said.

"You knew my father," Bella stated more than asked.

"Had him in my class, his brother too," Mrs Sykes told her. "I have got to say though, best thing that could've happened for this town when he left."

"You didn't like him," Bella realised.

"There wasn't much to like," Mrs Sykes replied. "He's not coming back here, is he?"

"I don't know. I've had no contact with him since my mother died."

"You might not feel it but you're a very lucky girl then. You don't need that kind of darkness in your life." Mrs Sykes said sounding nicer than she had when talking to Bella.

"What do you mean by that? Darkness?" Bella asked.

A feeling of immense concern crept over her. No one in her life had ever been willing to talk about her father in any real depths. Her grandmother had always brushed the question off stating she was better off and leaving it at that.

"Bad things happened here. Very bad things," Mrs Sykes told her darkly. "I wasn't surprised that they stopped when your father left."

Normally, Mrs Sykes would never talk to a student like this and definitely not about a parent but this wasn't unusual circumstances. She had reasons for doing this and her own grief and loss made her want to warn this girl about what had happened and what her father could have been a part of.

"Are you saying that he was responsible?"

Bella looked grave as she asked the teacher that. Was that why this woman had been so strange with her at their first meeting?

"I'm saying it stopped when he left. We never found who was responsible and no one had a good explanation. That's all I can say." Mrs Sykes answered sharply.

With that, the teacher picked up her books and walked off. Bella stood there for a moment trying to get a handle on her thoughts as well as herself. The most pressing thought was what on earth had her father done?

-x-

When she got back home, Bella found a message from Charlie on the answering machine. He'd wanted to check up on her and tell her that he would be back the following day. She was glad in a way; she had a million questions and before she even contemplated speaking to Charlie about his brother, she needed to make sure she wouldn't accidently blurt out something she shouldn't.

She grabbed a box of bag of Cheetos, a bottle of lemonade, a cup and headed up to her room. She froze in the doorway at finding Edward standing there.

"God I wish that whole vampires can't come in without an invitation thing was true," Bella said.

"Should I knock next time?" Edward asked.

"There's not going to be a next time," Bella said firmly putting her snacks down on the desk.

"I just want to talk to you," Edward said.

"I think we're done."

"Please."

"Why are you here exactly? Isn't there someone else in this town for you to harass?" Bella asked.

"You're one of a kind," Edward said with a weak smile.

He realised then just how true those words were. Bella was definitely one of a kind. So different to any girl he had ever come across during his century of existence. There was something so sincere about her; she didn't pretend to be anyone but herself and that was hard to find. Bella didn't care about acceptance or what others were thought of her, something that others her own age desperately sought.

"I find that hard to believe," Bella scoffed.

"You don't seem to take compliments very well," Edward observed.

"That's what you came here to tell me?" Bella enquired.

"No, you just distracted me," Edward said frowning. "I know that I should have told you everything. I didn't want to overwhelm you, that's all."

"I'm not easily overwhelmed."

"You threw a vase at me," Edward said with a smirk. "While yelling. Loudly."

"That wasn't overwhelmed. That was angry."

"I never meant to make you angry," Edward said to her. "I promise you Bella."

"You come in here and nearly attack me, stay here for hours and what? Just listen to my every thought?" Bella asked him.

Bella knew her anger was somewhat irrational. He hadn't attacked her and she hadn't exactly tried to make him leave. Finding him in her room wasn't what she'd wanted today.

"No, it's not like that," Edward told her quickly. "I'm not able to ... I can't hear your thoughts."

"Huh?"

"Your mind is silent to me. I try to hear but ..." Edward shook his head. "I can't."

Bella looked utterly stricken for a moment. Edward stepped forward, his eyes wide in concern.

"He was right ... I am broken," Bella murmured to herself. "I'm defective. He was right."

Edward crossed the room and with one hand cupped her face, lifting it so she looked at him. The heat seared his skin in the most wonderful way and sent a tingle throughout his whole body.

"You are not defective," Edward said resolutely.

Her anger had diminished rapidly and she didn't know if it was because she now knew her thoughts and mind were safe from him or because he had touched her.

His proximity made her heart race and that had an unexpected reaction on Edward's body. His fingers began caressing her warm skin and her breathing turned into fast little pants. The pad of his thumb moved from the corner of her mouth to the swell of her lips and he moaned when he felt her tongue brush against it.

Bella's eyes closed as he leaned in and then his mouth was on hers, hard and insistent. Her hands located and latched onto his back, fingers digging in as his own hands encircled her hips, bringing her body flush against his own. The taste of her lessened the thirst for her blood but only heightened his need for her.

Just her.

The heat of her body wrapping around him was making him dizzy and his head cloudy. The intoxicating lure of her soft mouth and delicious taste were more satisfying to him than any drop of blood he had experienced in decades. He kissed her harder, desperate to further explore her mouth. His rational mind was long gone and he relinquished control, letting his instincts guide him with her.

Edward wanted to feel her skin. To slide his hand beneath her top and caress the skin he discovered but he didn't want to alarm her with the coldness of his touch. Her responsiveness to his kiss was more than he could have ever dreamt of. In fact it was more than he would have risked only a day before. One slight error and he could easily break this fragile treasure in his arms.

Just as Edward was about to back off, Bella changed the game. Her kiss appeared to have rendered him powerless as when she pushed him back to the bed, to sit on it, he did just that. Edward sat on the edge and the next second she climbed onto his lap, facing him and looking into his rapidly darkening eyes. She cupped his face with both hands and kissed him with more ferocity than he would have ever dared kissed her. Her passion was like an electric current between them and the way she was surrendering her body to him was without a doubt the most erotic and overwhelming sensation he'd ever experienced.

When her tongue pressed against the seam of his lips it was like an alarm had gone off in his mind and he pulled back roughly from her. She was breathing heavily and looked rather shocked by her own behaviour. Edward struggled to get hold of his self control otherwise he was just going to throw her down on the bed beside him and ravish her.

"I'm sorry..." Bella managed to say after a moment.

"No I'm sorry. It's just when you ... my teeth are so sharp ..." Edward struggled to put his fears into words.

"Oh."

Bella hadn't considered that at all. As soon as his mouth had touched hers, her mind had gone completely blank. She hadn't been thinking that it was a vampire she was essentially making out with, only that she didn't want it to end.

"I shouldn't have done that," Bella said pulling back from him. "It was too much."

"No, it wasn't," Edward said firmly.

Bella got off his lap and moved to sit on the chair by the desk. There had to be some space between them for her to think properly. She was never that kind of girl, to just dismiss everything and throw herself at a guy. It wasn't something she would ever do before now, before Edward.

"Are you..." Edward didn't know what to say.

"I don't do that. I'm not one of those girls who meets a guy and-" Bella begun to say but was cut off.

"I never thought you were. Not for a second." Edward told her fiercely. "I know you're nothing like the rest of them."

Bella was more than confused. Her emotions were haywire when she was around Edward.

"Can I ask you something?" Edward asked.

"Yes."

"What is it... that you can do exactly?" He enquired with a little hesitation.

"It's hard to explain," She said.

"You said before that you knew things," Edward said.

Bella nodded. "I can feel people's energy and the energy that makes everything up. Vampires have a very distinct feeling to me when I'm near to them; it's how I knew what you were."

"Humans energy is different to vampires," Edward stated.

"Yes. Mine is different to theirs slightly as well," Bella added.

"You don't have visions or see the future?" Edward asked.

"No, though sometimes I see echoes but they're mostly the residual energy from very violent deaths," Bella explained. "I can't just do one thing like you can. Energy is part of everything and as a result I can almost tap in and sometimes it can be ... terrifying."

Edward could see that Bella was trying her best to be open with him about what she could do but it was difficult for her to understand it. Telling Edward this was a completely alien experience but she found that it was oddly liberating to do so. It didn't feel wrong to share this with Edward, it felt right.

"What do you mean terrifying?" He asked.

"The woods," Bella said and he tensed. "Something terrible has happened in there. I can feel it from the driveway, its dark and I hate it."

"You shouldn't go in there Bella," He told her.

"You're the second person to tell me that. Do you know what happened in there?" Bella asked.

"No," Edward said stiffly. "But what is happening now is dangerous. You should keep away."

_Easy for you to say._

Bella had answered Edward's question as best she could so now it was Edward's turn. She didn't want to let the silence grow for fear that he might want to know more about her abilities. Trusting Edward was something that had to be done one step at a time and this was a big step. Also her need to understand what was between them was very strong so she changed the direction of the conversation.

"What is this, that's happening between us?" Bella asked him.

"I don't really know," Edward admitted hesitantly. "I need to talk to my father."

Edward was as confused as Bella at this overwhelming feeling between them and was relying on Carlisle to have answers. He needed to know what was happening as much as she did. Bella was just feeling relieved that Edward wasn't pushing her for any more information. She'd shared with him as much as she could for one day.

"Your father," Bella said with a small smile.

"What is it?" Edward asked, curiously.

As much as Edward didn't want to inundate her with questions, he had to know whatever it was that made her smile. Edward wanted to see her smile as much as possible.

"You really aren't like any other vampires, are you?" Bella asked with an amused smile. "You have a family."

"We are very different. Others of our kind considering us very unusual and not just because of our choice of diet. We aren't a coven, our dynamic is nothing like that." Edward explained to her as best he could. "Carlisle and Esme are our parents. We chose to be part of this family, to live the way we are."

"I think that's lovely," Bella told him with a small smile.

Edward had worried that she would never be able to get her head round what they were and the implications that came with being involved in any way with them or their lives. Once again she'd surprised him by being remarkably open to hearing about him and his life.

"What is it?" Bella asked him upon seeing a little smile cross his lips.

"You are taking this all so calmly," Edward said.

Bella laughed a little at that. By this point in her life, she'd learnt to take things in her stride.

"I'm not easily shocked," Bella said casually.

Edward was beginning to realise that. During all his years as a vampire and the interactions he'd had with humans, Bella was definitely the most complex and interesting young woman he'd ever come across. It wasn't just that her mind was silent to him, her actions were so unexpected and she was constantly shocking him. Just when he thought that he'd figured Bella out and knew what drove her, she turned around and threw him a curve ball.

"What do your family think of me?" Bella asked hesitantly.

"My family?"

Bella nodded. She didn't look like she really wanted to be asking him that and he understood why. What other people thought of her never usually mattered to Bella but this time it did.

"They think I've lost my mind," Edward said, smiling. "They don't understand why I can't leave you alone."

"Neither can I," Bella admitted.

Edward extended his arm, holding his hand out to her. His eyes were silently beseeching her to go to him, to comply with his request. Slowly she stood from the chair and placed her hand in his, letting him pull her to the bed where she sat down with him.

"You are beautiful. You are exciting and you care about others," Edward told her, his deep amber eyes giving her butterflies. "You put up walls but it's not because you're cold or uncaring, you care too much. I feel alive when I'm with you."

In the days since meeting Bella, it was the closest that Edward had felt to humanity. He felt connected to someone in a way that he thought he would never find no matter how long he left. He'd watched Carlisle find it with Esme and then Rosalie with Emmett but he'd almost accepted that he wasn't meant to.

"When you look at me..." Bella shook her head. "You see me, truly see me. Other people don't. Not really."

When Edward's hand curved around her cheek and jaw, she didn't shy away from the coolness of his touch. She closed her eyes and completely relaxed. Though that meant she didn't see his surprise or joy at her being so comfortable with him.

"I don't want to leave you," Edward told her as she opened her eyes again.

"But you need to talk to Carlisle," Bella said and he nodded. "And I don't think you should be here when Charlie gets back tomorrow."

"That's probably a wise decision," Edward agreed.

"I think so. He's still getting his head around me," Bella said.

Leaving wasn't something Edward wanted to do but he knew that he had to for many reasons. Taking up residency in her closet wasn't the best way to start a relationship with her. With that in mind, he decided not to drag this out. He kissed her cheek and left through the still open window.

-x-

What Mrs Sykes had told Bella in the library that morning had been weighing heavily on her mind. She needed to know if there was any basis in what the woman had said. There was no way she could just push it to the back of her mind and ignore it like she had done with some things.

Sitting before her laptop, Bella knew exactly what she was searching for. She'd successfully researched murders that had occurred almost a hundred years ago so digging around for possible ones twenty five years ago shouldn't be too difficult. Forks was only a small town so if anything like that had occurred, it should have been well documented.

Bella typed the keywords into the search engine and waited to see what they brought up. The results that came up surprised her a little. It wasn't murders and it wasn't in the decade she'd requested but it was definitely unusual.

In the early 1980s three girls aged 16 and 17 had gone missing from around the Forks area and their disappearances still remained a mystery. The last girl had gone missing in 1982.

1982.

The year that Bella's father had left Forks and never returned. This sent Bella's head spinning. Leaving his family was one thing but could he really have anything to do with the disappearances of Amy Madden, Susan Cooper and Wendy Reeves.

Her knowledge of the man who was biologically her father was very limited. He had been born and raised in Forks with his brother Charlie and then left as soon as he could. Married her mother and then seemingly vanished into thin air. Who he was as a person was pretty much a question mark.

Bella was fairly certain the skeleton she'd uncovered in the forest was that of one of the missing girls. If it wasn't then this town had bigger troubles than she had first thought.

_Did I find the grave because my father had dug it?_

Was that why she'd been pulled to the grave? Had the darkness within the forest recognised something within her that had also been a part of her father? That sensation; the pull, had been unlike anything she had ever felt or experienced before.

That door was opening.

The door behind which she'd trapped every feeling, thought and fact she had about Michael Swan. A door that had never been explored before but she had a feeling it wouldn't stay that way for long. Going to Forks had changed everything and she realised that being there was making her look into a lot of things from the past that had been buried for a long time.

It would take a lot of further digging to put the whole story together. Bella needed to find out who those girls were and how they were connected to her father, if they were at all.

_Reeves, Reeves, Reeves... I know that name._

Bella's brow creased slightly as she tried to place where she knew that name from. It was something she'd known but years of ignoring this part of her life had made it that much harder to remember.

_Tessa Reeves._

"Fuck... no," Bella murmured.

Wendy Reeves was the younger sister of Tessa Reeves, her father's high school girlfriend.

_No, no, no, no._

That didn't mean anything. This was a small town, everyone knew each other and was in each other business. Her father dating Wendy Reeves sister didn't mean he was involved.

Bella closed her laptop, determined to push all of this from her mind for the rest of the night.

-x-

Flipping through the channels on the flat-screen, Bella was reminded of why she'd never really bothered to watch television before. She enjoyed movies and some TV series but a lot of what was on at the moment was mindless drivel.

She'd wanted to relax. To spend a few hours without going over and over the details of what could have been murders that involved her father. Maybe even relax and try to have some lazy time as it was the weekend and she'd had a rather hectic week.

Somewhere in a notebook on her desk was a list of things she was supposed to do before the end of the weekend. A list of moving to a new town thing's that she'd jotted down at one of the airports while waiting for her flight. She knew that she hadn't done most of them. A few of them were rather important but she'd been intentionally putting off.

Bella was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the front door opening and then closing.

_Edward? No he never used the front door._

She was just about to reach for the nearest item that could double as a useful weapon when she heard Charlie calling out her name.

"Charlie?" Bella asked as she jumped up and went to find him. "You're back early."

"Yeah, didn't want to leave you alone for another night," Charlie said with a smile.

"I was fine but it's great that you're back."

Bella was pleased to have him back. She just wished that she didn't constantly feel like she was lying whenever they had a conversation. He was a nice guy and didn't deserve being deceived by his own niece.

Having taken off his jacket and gun holster, Charlie walked with Bella into the kitchen. He needed some coffee and maybe a sandwich. Quickly he discovered that Bella had been to the grocery store which he was very grateful for.

"How is the case going?" Bella asked leaning against the doorframe.

"Could be better." Charlie sighed.

"That bad?"

"Found a body today, in the river," Charlie said. The lines in his face seemed deeper than normal, and his eyes looked tired.

Normally Charlie wouldn't have told her about the development but a journalist had been amongst some of the people helping to search and word had quickly spread. There was a story already posted on the newspaper's website.

"A body? Just one?" Bella asked.

"They're going to do a proper search of the river tomorrow but it's a damn long river and we don't know exactly where each person was last seen. Could take weeks if the bodies are in the water."

This was making Bella rethink her assessment. If the bodies had been dumped in the water that didn't really point to a demon or to a supernatural cause of death. They didn't bother cleaning up after their kills, instead leaving the bodies were they fell.

"Do you have any idea what did it?" Bella enquired.

"What did it?" Charlie asked with a slight frown at her choice of words.

"Animal?" Bella said quickly, trying to cover up her slip.

"Oh. Not sure yet," Charlie replied. "Going to have to wait for the post-mortem to be done."

"Right."

Bella glanced at the clock. It was just gone ten and she didn't trust herself to make anymore conversation and not slip up again.

"I'm pretty tired. I'm going to go to bed," Bella said.

"Okay. Good night."

Bella headed upstairs, her mind still reeling somewhat. Now she didn't know what to do. These missing people may not have been hurt by something supernatural. It could have just been a regular crazed human psychopath. That didn't make her feel better even though she should have been relieved that it wasn't a demon or something similar.

-x-

That night when Bella got into bed, she was clutching a small crystal tightly in each hand. The one in her left hand was Seraphinite, a green crystal with a silver and white shimmering pattern whilst the other was Scolecite which was pure white. Both crystals were pieces of a larger crystal and when those pieces were gathered they could form a sphere. They may have looked pretty and just decorative but they were anything but.

Bella had them to help her communicate with those who it might be too dangerous or complex to meet with in person or over the phone. She'd had them for many months now but this would be the first time she'd attempted to use them. This wasn't something she'd ever wanted to do but what she'd discovered today had changed that.

Lying back in bed, Bella left the covers off and rested her head on the pillows. To do this she needed to relax but that was not going to be very easy. Since the moment that she had arrived in Forks, she had been on edge. To the same degree as she had been in New York.

Instead of forcing herself to relax, she instead focused all her attention on her breathing. Meditation would help her and then hopefully she would sleep.

_Breathe in... breathe out..._

Eyes closed, she stared at the darkness of her eye lids and felt her mind begin to wander. The tension and stress slowly begun to ease from her body and a slight tingling sensation over took her.

Then, out of nowhere, she fell.

* * *

A/N: A big thank you to doobawrites for helping me with this chapiter. Also a huge thank you to everyone reading this and reviewing. I love your feedback!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

A faint light appeared.

It seemed so far away. Like a sun rising on the horizon. A tiny glimmer in a sea of darkness so deep and unending it could have been a pure and endless night. That light slowly became lines, long thin lines that went on and on for miles.

Those lines swelled into form. Bella was falling she realised with a sickening feeling. She was falling into those lines. The pattern of the lines started growing into something rawer, textured and solid.

It was evolving into a world.

The fall quickened and the force of the resistance of the air made her eyes water, blinding her temporarily. By the time it cleared, she could see the ground below. The ground she was rapidly approaching.

Bella put her arms out, as if to lessen her fall but seven feet before she hit the ground, she slowed and came to a stop. She floated in mid air, dark curls drifting around her head. Looking back up, she saw nothing but black. No indication of where she had come from, or fallen from rather.

Every time she did this it was completely different. It was also completely dependent on who you were trying to contact. Falling was unsettling but at least she wasn't waking up at the bottom of a lake like someone had mentioned to her.

The echo of footsteps on stone caught her attention and she looked beyond the spotlight which seemed to illuminate her, peering into the darkness for the source of the sudden sound. Turning her head, her whole body shifted, spinning ninety degrees.

Out of the shadows stepped a man dressed in a sleek dark grey suit. His dark hair was slicked back and he could have easily been the face of a high end fragrance campaign. Elegance and sophistication were words which encapsulated this man.

He stopped before her, his familiar face a perfect mask of indifference and raised his hand towards her. His fingers grasped her hand and with a sharp pull, she was torn from whatever force was keeping her floating and dropped down to the ground. Bella landed on her feet and for a brief moment her head spun.

"Woah," she said.

"It can take a minute to adjust."

He'd released her hand the second she was standing by herself. It was so strange for her to be standing there with him, even though she knew that really, she wasn't.

None of this was real. It was just in their heads. Practically a whole country separated them and yet somehow it felt like Lucas was standing mere feet away from her. She never understood how this worked, he'd tried explaining it to her once but she just didn't understand how it could be possible.

Bella had first thought it akin to people who believed they'd witnessed the afterlife when their heart stopped on the operating table. Electrical impulses from their brains misfired and they came back thinking they'd seen loved ones. Pretty soon though she had realised it wasn't like that at all. Rather than impulses and adrenaline, it was a mix of astral projection and telepathy.

Bella could feel and channel the energy of the world around her but doing this was definitely one of the most complex feats she'd attempted. She could project her mind but she was tapping into the natural energy of the crystals to do that. In time she might be able to do more like telepathy or telekinesis but she was hesitant to try without someone to guide her.

Lucas looked at Bella for a moment. That lengthy, discerning look of his which had always made her nervous.

"You're using the crystals," he said finally.

"Of course I am. Do you really think I'd use my own power?" Bella asked him. "I might as well take out a page in the New Yorker announcing my location."

Truthfully Bella was pretty sure that she didn't have enough power to do this without the crystals but she wasn't about to let on to him about that. It was always better to let others think you were stronger than you might actually be.

"I'm just surprised. That's all," Lucas admitted.

"Surprised?"

"The last time I saw you, you were running away yelling that if you ever saw me again you'd kill me."

The corner of Bella's mouth turned up and she shrugged as if the death threat had been nothing. With two fingers she tucked a dark curl behind her ear.

"A girl can change her mind."

"You've come up with another use for me?" Lucas surmised.

"By the way," Bella said gesturing to her waist length tresses and purposely changing the subject. "I've cut my hair since you last saw me."

The Bella that appeared before Lucas now didn't look the same as she did when she'd fallen asleep in Forks. Her appearance was how he remembered her from their last meeting. Longer hair, red lips and a designer dress.

Her Manhattan facade.

"Do you look different now, Cherry?" Lucas asked

"Are you telling me you don't know?" Bella asked slightly amused by that idea.

"I'm not having you followed, if that's what you're asking," Lucas said.

"Well that's reassuring. I guess," Bella murmured.

Lucas had people watching her back in New York and she wouldn't have been surprised if he had people doing the same now. Despite the fact she'd done her best to make sure no one, not even Lucas, knew where she was going, it didn't mean that he didn't. He could play dumb very well when he needed to.

"I don't know where you are," Lucas told her.

"I don't know whether I believe you," Bella said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then why do this?"

"Because my grandmother trusted you and I trust her judgement. I need you to do something for me," she answered.

Bella put great stock in her grandmother's opinions and judgement. If she had trusted Lucas then Bella would trust him with certain things. Like with what she wanted him to do now.

"What?"

"I need to know what Michael Swan did when he left home. Just before meeting my mother," Bella said trying to keep her voice calm. "I need details."

Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd heard a lot of rather shocking things from her but this was definitely the most astonishing, not to mention perplexing.

"Your father?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Why the fuck would you give a damn about him?" Lucas asked beginning to look a little less composed.

"I have my reasons."

"Isabella, have you lost your goddamn mind?" Lucas's voice rose as his anger built.

Somehow Bella managed not to flinch at the use of her full name. Coming from his it was wrong. He mostly used his nickname for her, Cherry. Not that she understood where it came from but she'd become strangely attached to hearing it from his lips.

"Do you really think I would ask if this wasn't important? If this didn't need to happen?" Bella asked

"Tell me why."

"No. You don't get to ask me why," Bella said firmly.

His betrayal still stung and even though the longing to trust him and confide everything in the man who was the last link to her grandmother was overwhelming, she couldn't.

"You don't trust me."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Lucas knew he'd lost her trust and that wasn't something you got back. Not with Bella. She was exceptionally loyal to her friends and to her family but once you lost that loyalty, you never regained it.

"You were the first person, outside of my family that I ever trusted. I knew that Etta had a crush on you and when you came back after she died, I felt so bad because I had a crush on you as well. I thought you were so cool and so mysterious. You'd turn up with these crazy stories and show me the weapons and books and I loved it. At my birthday party when you told me that nothing was going on, I believed you. I believed you and I lost people because of it. Friends."

A flash of guilt crossed over Lucas's face and someone may have thought that he felt bad for the people he'd let die. Bella knew better. He felt bad because he'd lost her trust.

"You sacrificed them for me. To save me. You lied to me, kept everything a secret and then had the nerve to comfort me when I was told they were dead," Bella hissed angrily.

"I did what I had to," Lucas stressed. "I was told to protect you by any means necessary."

"Oh you fulfilled that brief."

Her blue eyes were filled with fire and anger. She no longer looked like the young, normal schoolgirl she could be easily mistaken for. That he had once mistaken her for. Instead she reminded him just how dangerous she could be. He'd seen himself that she could put men twice her size in the hospital with broken bones and major internal bleeding.

"I won't apologise for keeping you from harm but I do apologise for the pain I've caused you," Lucas said softly.

"I've never expected you to apologise for anything you've done," she said coldly.

Bella could change the subject and move back to the point of her being there, or she could ram a dagger under his sternum and into his heart. He wasn't sure which was more likely.

"This was a mistake," Bella said after a moment.

Her hopes that the last seven months had been enough time to lessen the pain had proved to be wrong. She was still upset and the anger she thought had been put behind her was building up again. No matter how important it was to get answers about her father, it wasn't worth doing this. Being faced with what he'd done again.

Doing this had been a mistake.

Bella turned to find an exit or any way to leave this place but Lucas wasn't about to let her go so easily. He'd waited months for her to make contact and he couldn't have it end like this.

"We're not finished," he told her.

His hold on her arm was unbreakable and before she could object, he was pulling her towards the shadows. Bella could see nothing but Lucas evidently knew this world. After all, it was his. He led her deeper into this creation where she couldn't so easily make an escape.

"Let go of me," Bella snarled.

They could be in tunnels or a corridor, with the darkness surrounding them it was impossible to tell. Beneath her feet, the ground was solid but that told her nothing. She could faintly hear whispering, low and not clear enough to make out any words. Just a constant whispering that would drive you crazy with enough time.

The door creaked terribly as Lucas opened it and suddenly they were somewhere else completely. On first impressions, Bella was sure they were in a morgue. It had that sterilised, overly clean feeling and the smell was definitely what she remembered from the time she'd gone to identify a body.

In the centre of the otherwise empty morgue room was a metal examination table. No medical equipment or desks, no trays with metal implements for autopsy. Just the table, placed there, as if on display. Though covered with a sheet, Bella could easily make out the obvious body concealed beneath.

"Who is it?" Bella asked warily.

"No one you know. She was murdered and I think you might be able to assist in dealing with the person responsible," Lucas answered.

They approached the table and Lucas pulled the sheet down enough just to reveal the deceased woman's head and shoulders. She had been beautiful and still was even in death. Her skin had a bluish tint that was as unnatural as it was uncomfortable to view. Dead bodies didn't look like they were asleep like some books tried to make out, it was obvious they were dead and gone.

"What's her name?" Bella asked.

"Annabel Roe. The pictures I saw were worse than this," Lucas informed her.

Despite what she'd already seen in her life, Lucas was still hesitant of exposing Bella to such graphic brutality. He didn't want to add even more horror to this darkened world that they were forced to live in. She was already far too aware of what evils this world would could inflict.

Bella looked up at him and her deep blue eyes latched onto his dark brown ones. She suddenly looked so much younger and it caused a very strong and almost overwhelming protective instinct within him. He'd always been protective of her, incredibly so and not being able to see her everyday and know where she was only heightened that.

"Who killed her?"

This was what Lucas had been looking forward to least, telling Bella who was responsible for this death. Once he had done that, it would be obvious why she was the one he'd told about this. He didn't want her to think that he was manipulating her into this.

"Scott Chapel."

Bella's eyes closed and for a long moment she didn't move a muscle. It was all sinking in for her. Her past was catching up with her yet again though hopefully this could be dealt with simpler than the issues concerning her father.

"What do you want me to do?" Bella enquired, keeping her voice calm and emotionless.

"He needs to be eliminated," Lucas answered.

"Consider it done."

-x-

When Bella woke up she didn't feel well rested. It was nearly eleven in the morning and she'd slept longer than she'd expected to though that shouldn't been surprising given her nocturnal activities. Even with the longer rest, she felt very tired and was tempted to just lie back down and pull the covers her head.

That wasn't an option though. Bella knew she'd have an email from Lucas with every detail he had concerning what they'd discussed. She wouldn't have a lot of time to formulate a plan and put it into action. Given that she'd only just arrived, leaving the state would be tricky. Lucas had correctly guessed she was on the West Coast; hopefully her trip to find Scott Chapel wouldn't take her back across country.

After showering and getting dressed, Bella headed down to the kitchen where she found Charlie sat at the table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper.

"You sleep late too, huh?" Charlie asked

"Yeah, I was really tired," Bella said, walking over to the fridge to get some juice.

Bella never ate breakfast; it just wasn't a meal she could tolerate. Even as a child her cereal toast always ended up half eaten. When she focused on something so intensely, things like eating and sleep just tended to slip her mind.

"Got any plans for the day?"

"Not really. Just thought I'd read a bit, relax you know?" Bella answered and he nodded.

"I'm going to head to the station. Got a lot of things to catch up on when I was gone," Charlie said running a hand over his face. "Paperwork and reports. I might be late."

"Don't worry about it," Bella said with a smile. "Though I warn you; if you're back too late, you might miss my hundredth viewing of When Harry Met Sally."

Charlie chuckled to himself, glad to see that leaving her alone wasn't a big deal or something she got upset about.

"I'll leave you some cash, order a pizza or something," Charlie told her and she nodded.

"Sure."

Bella wasn't thinking about pizzas or movies though. She was already formulating a plan and going over different details depending on what kind of distance she would have to travel.

"I'm going to check my emails," she said.

-x-

Scott Chapel should have been in the year above Bella at school in New York but due to suspensions and failed exams, he'd been held back a year and therefore was in several of her classes. Scott had recognised something in her that only someone with his gifts could, for like his grandfather, he had talents.

At first Bella had thought he was fun. They always got into clubs, were led straight through to a VIP table where drinks were waiting for them. No one dared to ask for ID or if they had reservations. People bent over backwards to give him whatever he wanted.

Then things got out of hand.

Friends started becoming afraid of Scott. He wouldn't turn up for school anymore and when Bella phoned, her calls were ignored. Bella became distracted quickly after that and by the time she'd put the pieces together, it was too late.

Reviewing the information that Lucas had emailed to her brought it all back for Bella. His mother still had no idea what had happened to him and Bella would hate to be the person who ever had to tell that poor woman the truth. What Scott's mother believed now was unclear to Bella. She'd left New York with the search still ongoing.

From the look if it, Lucas had everything planned out for her. All she had to do was travel to Northern Idaho and check into a motel. Once again he had cast Bella in what seemed to be his favourite role for her: bait. Thinking logically it was the best role for her to play given that she was a young woman who could easily convince people of her vulnerability.

If everything went well then Bella could go to Idaho, do what she had to and get back having only missed one day of school. Charlie would be upset and possibly angry with her but that was a risk she had to take. Dealing with Scott had to be her first priority.

Bella spent the time until Charlie left getting ready for her trip. She would have to drive fast and there wouldn't be time to turn back if she forgot something. Halfway through that time though, a thought struck her.

Edward.

She hadn't heard anything from him since he'd left the previous day to talk with Carlisle. That conversation wouldn't exactly be a short one, he wasn't going to be back after two hours with answers to every question that she had. Bella just knew that it was going to be a complex discussing between father and son.

If he came back and she wasn't there then Edward would be very concerned. More than concerned given how he had acted with her. He would be angry with her definitely. Unfortunately leaving a note was out of the questions in case Charlie found it. Besides, how could she explain what she was going to do?

-x-

Just after driving over the border into Idaho, Bella had reached some kind of agreement with herself. If she'd had Edward's phone number then she would have called him to let him know she was going to be gone for a little while. As she didn't have his number, she couldn't. She'd managed to rationalize that with herself and it eased the guilt she was feeling.

Edward had been on her mind since she'd left Forks. Honestly she hadn't expected to think twice about him. Charlie? Perhaps. She'd only just arrived and she was already sneaking around behind his back so a little guilt concerning him could be understandable, but Edward?

Bella wasn't stupid. She wasn't going to dismiss the fact that he had somehow become a very important part of her life. She might not understand it but she knew better than to pretend otherwise. The fact she felt bad about leaving without a word to him just surprised her a little. Not that she could have contacted him.

At least thinking about Edward distracted her from thinking about what she would actually be doing.

Bella had picked up a rental car and was now following the surprisingly accurate directions from Lucas. She was sure he'd used an online map as he was never usually this good. Lucas did have many skills but things like directions were not one of them.

Her destination was Sandpoint, Idaho or rather somewhere near there. She was rather relieved given that she'd had a feeling she may have been heading to Nevada just based on what she knew of Scott. A small town in Idaho was a little unexpected but he could have been trying to keep a low profile.

It wasn't just Lucas who had been looking for Scott. Others wanted to find him and they wouldn't have the same intentions as Bella.

Her phone rang and she pressed a button on the hand set to put it onto speaker.

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked

"Working on my tan by the pool, what do you think I'm doing?" Bella snapped. "I'm driving to Sandpoint."

"Aren't we the feisty one today, Cherry?"

Bella could practically hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke and had she been with him, she'd have slapped him. It wouldn't have been for the first time either.

"Why are you calling?"

"Given your haste to leave last night, I didn't have time to inform you of something. I retrieved your medical files. Etta's too."

It was a testament to Bella's resolve that she didn't slam on the breaks or really alter her driving in any real way. The road she was on was empty which was good considering the speed she was going at. Lucas had a habit of throwing her off kilter in the most unfortunate of ways and this was one of them.

"You retrieved them?" she deadpanned.

"In a manner of speaking," Lucas said then added, "I acquired them with the assistance of a rather attractive nurse called Kim."

"I want them."

"I thought you would."

"I'll send you an address to mail them to," Bella informed him curtly.

It wouldn't be her Forks address of course. Probably a mail box in Seattle or perhaps Portland, just to throw him of the scent. Would he suspect that she was actually close by?

"Did you really want your medical files sent via U.S. Postal Service?" Lucas asked

"Fuck!"

Had it not been a rental car, Bella would have been tempted to crash the damn thing into a fence in her frustration. Bella didn't want Lucas to know her location. She didn't want him going to Forks and intruding on her new life.

"We both know that I should have been aware of where you were going all along," Lucas said.

"I'm sure I can find someone in New York," Bella said.

"You know as well as I, that the fewer who know of your location the better," Lucas whispered, his voice low.

Sometimes when Lucas spoke, Bella felt like she was being hunted. That she was a fragile little antelope waiting for the jackal to pounce on the African plains and tear her to shreds. That analogy couldn't have been more wrong though. Lucas knew that Bella could be as deadly as the panther, skulking in the shadows ready to attack the jackal.

"Believe me, you wouldn't know where I was if I could help it," Bella told him.

"You trying to hurt my feelings?" Lucas asked.

"For that to happen you would actually need to possess feelings, emotions... a heart," Bella said.

A quick glance at the map told her that she was nearing the pay phone she had to stop at.

"Should I call back later?" Lucas enquired.

"Yeah. In about fifteen to twenty years," Bella said then ended the phone call.

Lucas was doing her head in. She would have ignored the call but he could have had important information. Talking to him didn't exactly help her frame of mind but she would just have to push that aside.

-x-

The motel room key had been taped underneath the small little shelf that the payphone had been set on in the booth. It would save her from having to check in, talk to the manager and give a name when she arrived at the motel.

After stopping at the pay phone, she went straight to the motel. Room seven was hers, separated a little from all the other buildings. The room on the other side was empty due to water damage so Bella didn't have to worry about neighbours.

Bella sat down on the edge of the bed, dumping her bag on the floor, wherever.

_Back in a motel. Way to go full circle._

Slumping back on the bed, Bella ran a hand over her face. She was there, she had reached her destination. Her part of this plan had been fulfilled now.

All she had to do now was to wait and survive.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to everyone who makes this possible.


	10. Bonus!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: This is a little bonus i wrote as a thank you to all the lovely readers. It's Bella's POV as she waits in the motel.

* * *

Bella's POV:

I have often wondered what it would be like to tell someone the truth. The whole, entire and undeniable truth. From start to finish, as if I were recounting my life's story.

No. Not just someone. A professional.

Like the therapist that I'd seen on a weekly basis in New York perhaps. One of the many specialists that I had been sent to since I was eleven years old. Six years and not much progress had been made. That was usually the case though when you weren't ever able to tell the truth.

The therapist would have probably have locked me up in an asylum and thrown away the key if I had told him the whole story. Not that I would have blamed him.

I had never been remotely tempted to tell the story of my life as honestly, who would want to hear it? I guess the only reason I even thought about it now was Forks. People asked questions and seemed surprised, almost hurt if you didn't tell them.

Edward.

I'd told him more than I had ever revealed to anyone before. For some reason that I couldn't begin to explain or understand, I knew he wouldn't betray my confidence. He had secrets of his own and understood the need for such secrecy.

I was deeply drawn to Edward and would be lying if I said I had no feelings for him. I just didn't understand those feelings or what was behind them. Hopefully he would have some answers from his father that would make me feel better about this.

Edward was lowering walls that I'd never thought would be breached, least of all by a vampire.

I hadn't thought that I would ever tell anyone the truth. As horrible as my past had been, I'd wanted to keep it to myself. Some part of my life had to remain mine. Even if it was just the darkest memories.

No, I would never tell them the truth. They wouldn't believe what I told them anyway. Honestly I barely believed it and I lived it.

I'd never looked back over everything before. Really thought and remembered everything. It had always been events. A series of disconnected events that I could never really properly remember and not in any detail.

Mom's death.

Michael leaving.

Etta going into hospital.

Moving to New York.

Etta's death.

My grandmother's death.

Individual things. Always separate. As if each event had happened to someone else. Not to me. Because all these horrible things couldn't happen to just one girl, right?

No. No. No.

I am not one of those people. I don't know why I even wrote that. I do not feel sorry for myself and go 'oh isn't life unfair'. I never have been and I refuse to start now. If you're busy wallowing and moping around then you aren't paying attention to the world around you. That's how you end up dead.

Things happen and you deal with them.

That's what I'm doing now with Scott. It should have ended in New York but it didn't, so I'm ending it now. Lucas understands that. It's why he's having me do this. He knows I have to be the one to do this.

Lucas understood me pretty well despite our disagreements. He'd lost his parents too at a young age and my grandmother had always looked out for him. When I was thirteen he became a more permanent fixture in my life. My grandmother had employed him to do something or another, I was never completely sure for what but I guessed it might not be entirely legal. He was very talented at getting things done that no one else could manage.

Lucas was similar to me in some ways. An orphan. Hunted for years. Came from a family with a history of great power. Only Lucas had more training than I have had. His mother had taught him what it meant to be like us before she died.

Like us... I hate the word psychic.

You say psychic and I think off some crystal ball wielding woman who uses tarot cards. I couldn't tell your fortune or pick out your card from the deck. I channelled the world's natural energy. The same energy that was in everything around us from the forests and oceans to the homes you lived in. If you want to say that is being psychic then I guess I am.

Hi I'm Bella and I'm a psychic.

I still hate that word.

Maybe I'd like it more if I could do anything that most psychics could do. Like see the future or move things with my mind. Lucas tells me I could, someday. For someone with as much power as he has you'd think he could be more specific.

Since my grandmother had died, Lucas seemed to think it was his job to look after me. I didn't share that sentiment at all. I looked after myself. I had some power and it had got me this far.

Still I didn't have time to contemplate what I might be able to do down the line. I was in the middle of something rather delicate. Finishing what had started in New York. What had been the final thing to make me realise that yes, I should leave and find somewhere else to live.

Scott had been my friend. I should have seen what was happening to him. How they had used him. But I didn't. I was looking the other way just like they had planned.

I failed.

Scott had to die and I was going to kill him.


	11. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: WARNING. This chapter is much darker than previous ones. It contains violence, torture and some scenes that readers may find unsettling.

* * *

It was about midnight when Bella finally gave up trying to sleep. Years of nightmares, insomnia and other issues had prevented her from ever having a good night's sleep. Why would that change when she was sleeping in a different bed in a rather creepy and depressing motel room? If she thought about that too much she would end up replaying every bad slasher movie in her head.

She didn't have any doubts about what she was going to do. Scott had been corrupted, killing several people in New York alone. His fate had been sealed and Bella knew better than to think that she or anyone else could save him. Handing him over to the police was out of the question. They didn't have the means to contain him even if they would believe her story, which they wouldn't.

Bella got out of bed and walked over to what masqueraded as a table but was really not big enough to fit a plate. The last few hours had felt incredibly long and dragging. Waiting wasn't something she was good at and it was starting to bother her. Plus the air conditioning wasn't fixed and with the tension running through her body she was feeling rather overheated.

Her cell phone was off but she kept it on the table anyway next to her pager which would signal when she had to call in. Not that she would turn it on in case Charlie called, until she had to anyway. Sitting at the little table she just twirled the phone in her hands. Sighing in annoyance, Bella put the phone down and stood up. She grabbed a chocolate bar from her bag and a bottle of lukewarm water. It was then that Bella realised she didn't have any ice to go with her drink.

Picking up the small ice bucket, she looked out the window and saw the ice machine only a few feet away. She slipped her shoes on and opened the door of her room.

Bella had barely taken one step out of the room when she was grabbed and slammed hard against the brick wall. She tried to bring the ice bucket up to hit him with it and he grabbed her arm. Their eyes locked then and she gasped.

Scott.

He swiped his arm out and the knife he was holding slashed her arm causing her to jump back in surprise and pain. The ice bucket had dropped from her hand when she'd been cut and as it fell she kicked out, sending it flying at his head. Scott dodged it and went at her, eyes manic and dark.

Scott wrapped one hand around her throat and slowly tightened his hold to cut off her air supply. His other hand waved the knife very close to her face. So close that she felt the disturbance of the air. Anyone else would have struggled or fought back, but not Bella. She smirked and he could see it in her eyes, she liked it. He grinned and pressed against her, running the knife down her side making her smile darkly.

"Crazy bitch ... you like it." Scott realised.

He pulled back, his hand holding her in place and he held up the fighting knife to show her. The blade was seven inches and curved. Incredibly deadly. Definitely not the kind of knife you would find lying in a cutlery drawer in your kitchen.

Scott pressed the spine of the knife against Bella's throat and smiled when her eyes grew wide and she whimpered. Scott caught her eyes and saw the fear mingled with desire. This girl didn't know how to respond. Her mind was telling her one thing but her body was reacting in a completely different way.

She felt the spine of the knife against her throat and arched away from it, just so Scott would press it against her more firmly. He didn't disappoint her. The thrill of feeling an edged weapon at her throat never diminished and the exhilaration was something she'd missed sorely over the past few weeks.

"You are a very tricky girl to find..." Scott murmured.

He slid the knife down her neck to the edge of her tank-top, pausing for a moment before dragging the tip down between her breasts. The blade was very sharp, well taken care of and that didn't surprise her. For men like this, their weapons were everything to them.

He pulled back and watched the path the knife took down her body to the hem of her top and then the softness of her skin beneath it. Toying with her, he would alternate the pressure of the metal against her. He dragged the tip over her bare skin, pressing down and leaving slightly raised red tracks in its wake.

"Such a pretty girl... soft skin," he crooned in her ear. "The things I could do with this skin."

He dragged the flat side of the curved blade over the slender column of her throat, sketching random lines and curves, the tip scraping against the pulse point. When it brushed over the thrumming artery, it scratched her, causing a swell of blood to rush up to the surface and mar her otherwise perfectly smooth skin.

Bella's breath hitched. He pressed his finger against the area, causing a stinging sensation. He held the fingertip up for her and she saw the crimson smear of her blood.

"Maybe you should stay still, darlin'. You don't want to end up even more cut up... do ya?"

She didn't respond, not that he had expected her to. This girl was known to certain people to be a masochist and she didn't exactly go out of her way to avoid pain.

"Maybe that is what you want?" Scott laughed darkly, the sound making her feel sick.

Dragging the knife down in a deep, sudden cut, blood flowed down her arm and she shivered at the sensation. It brought back strong memories and she felt her stomach turn, bile rising in the back of her throat. Memories that were now crashing upon her like glass hitting on stone.

He moved again, the knife pressing rough against her neck. She could feel the trail of blood that trickled down over the skin of her chest from the fresh wound. That sensation was one that always gave Bella sickening chills. Feeling blood run down your skin was the most unnatural thing in the world.

She then suddenly shoved his arm back and brought her leg up to knee him in the groin. Scott stumbled back but not before bringing his arm out to slash her side and she cried out as she knocked the knife away. Bella went to run but Scott grabbed her and slammed her to the floor so hard it jarred her whole body.

His hands wrapped around her throat and he began choking her. She could immediately feel the effects of the oxygen deprivation; her lungs burned, her eyes watered and she felt very light headed. One of her hands came up to try and pull his hands off of her but she couldn't make even one finger uncurl from around her throat.

Bella turned her head a fraction and she saw the knife laying on the ground a short distance away. She reached out to it. Her fingers brushed the end and she stretched further until her fingers wrapped around the handle. Seizing it tightly, she brought it round and slammed the knife deep into his shoulder.

Scott screamed and released her. Bella scrambled to her feet, feeling blood running down her side. As he tried to get up, she kicked him and the force knocked him unconscious. The knife fell to the floor and she backed up as the reality of what had just happened hit her.

It shouldn't have happened like this.

Bella was supposed to wait for the phone call which would give her Scott's location and then she would go after him. Scott coming after her was not what was supposed to happen at all. Something had gone terribly wrong in this plan.

For a long moment Bella was completely still. Then she moved. She rushed over and slammed the door to the room shut. The way this night was going it would be just her luck for someone to walk by and see Scott lying on the floor, bleeding. Things had already gone bad but they still had the potential to get a whole lot worse.

Bella grabbed her phone and turned it on. Her impatience was building to an extraordinary level as she waited for the phone to start up. Adrenaline was pumping through her body and making her hands shake as she held the phone.

"Come on, come on, come on," Bella screamed semi hysterical at the object.

The screen loaded and an alert came up letting her know that she had several missed calls. All of them were from Lucas. She pressed the call button.

"What happened?"

Lucas sounded worried as hell when he answered after only the first ring.

"He found me. He's here at the motel," Bella said her voice shaking as she answered him.

"Damn it!" Lucas yelled angrily. "Someone's been talking. What happened?"

While no one knew the location of where Bella was living, not even Lucas, it took more than just him to set this up. Seven or eight people knew the motel where Bella was staying. They were supposed to be back up or there to provide assistance, not sell Bella out.

"Is he dead?"

"No. Not yet," Bella said leaning back against the door.

Scott may be unconscious but that could change at any moment. Bella felt out of control and she hated it. Waiting had made her on edge and this was the final straw. She needed to get a grip on herself and that had to happen soon.

"I'm on my way. Tie him up and don't let him get close, understood?" Lucas asked seriously.

"Okay."

-x-

Moving Scott into the chair wasn't simple but Bella managed it. She used the rope she'd brought to tie him as securely as she could and gagged him too. The last thing she needed was for Scott to start screaming and attract attention.

Bella stood by the door, clutching the knife tightly. She didn't know if Scott came here alone. Anyone could turn up as back up for him at any moment. She'd been caught off guard once and wouldn't let it happen again.

"Bella?"

Turning, she opened the door to find Lucas standing there. He walked straight in and pushed the door closed behind her. The look of anger on his face was immense and he didn't bother with pleasantries. His focus was on Scott alone.

"I imagine you were planning to come here anyway," Bella said though she didn't sound upset.

"I had to know you were alright," Lucas answered.

She wouldn't show weakness in front of this man. Even though she would still describe him as an ally.

"I hope you're a better liar to everyone else," Lucas murmured as he walked over to where Scott was bound.

At twenty three, Lucas was six years older than Bella. He would come in and take control of any situation. He also thought that meant he was in charge of her which she didn't like.

Lucas slipped his coat off and threw it on the bed. He wore black trousers and a black shirt, his usual choices for this kind of activity. He'd once told her that blood didn't show up on black like it did on other colours. Clipped onto his belt was a leather scabbard which held a deadly blade, much worse than the one Scott had used.

It was a Raven Claw fighting knife, one that Lucas was incredibly skilled at using to deadly ends. It was Lucas who had taught Bella to fight with a blade several years ago.

"We have a mole," Lucas told her. "Someone who told him which motel you would be at."

"Who?" Bella asked

"That's what I intend to find out," Lucas murmured.

There was a low chuckle that told them Scott was awake and listening. It wasn't a surprise to either of them. In fact Bella looked a little bored with him and the problems he was causing. Truthfully, she was just steeling herself for what was about to happen. Lucas stepped forward and pulled the gag down, allowing the other man to speak.

"Lucas Montgomery, why am I not surprised to find you here," Scott smirked. "Our little Bella could never escape you for too long. You always find her, eventually."

Scott had never liked Lucas. From their very first meeting it had been clear that they didn't get on. Lucas was five years older than Scott which was one of the issues. Jealousy was another. Bella had tried to keep them separate but it hadn't worked out.

Despite being restrained, Scott appeared very confident and assured of himself. Then again so did Lucas.

"I have just one question for you," Lucas told Scott. "Who is it that told you Bella's location?"

Scott just stared at Bella, his dark gaze focusing solely on her and nothing else. Lucas needed to shift attention away from her and onto him. He stood behind the chair and knelt down. The rope was bound at his wrists and Lucas gripped the man's finger and wrenched it back.

CRACK

A scream erupted from Scott as a finger was yanked back and broken. It sounded like twigs breaking underfoot but it was bone and knowing that made Bella feel rather sick.

"Who told you?" Lucas asked.

"The tooth fairy," Scott said through gritted teeth.

CRACK

Scott started laughing which was unsettling. Tears streamed down his face but he was laughing like he'd just been told the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

"He's starting to get on my nerves," Bella said with an exaggerated sigh.

"I know what you mean," Lucas replied.

Lucas pulled the Raven Claw knife from its scabbard and slammed the blade through Scott's hand, pinning it to the wooden back of the chair. Scott screamed in agony as blood poured from the wound, dripping down the chair and on to the carpet.

Bella walked over to him and she leaned forward so that her face was close to his. Close enough so that he could feel her breath on his skin. Her amazing eyes were inhuman shades of electric blue, azure and indigo. A constantly changing maelstrom of colours that hinted at the emotions concealed within her.

"Tell me what I want to know or I will show you what real pain truly feels like," Bella told him.

Torture wasn't the first method that Bella employed but she was willing to do it if she had to. She would do whatever it took to get the answers that were required, especially from Scott. If there was someone in their inner circle betraying them, they had to know who.

Scott smirked. "Something that you know all about, huh?"

"Difference is, I don't need knives to cause you pain," Bella hissed venomously.

-x-

Bella was pacing on the small sidewalk type area outside of the motel room that people walked on to prevent themselves from being run over by the cars parking. There was only one car parked in there tonight though and it was hers.

She hadn't felt this unsure about anything in months. The first time she'd stepped back into the supernatural world and the plan had gone completely to hell. Now they had to go with a back-up plan which they were highly unprepared for.

The door opened and Lucas stepped out. He was using a wash cloth to wipe blood off his hands.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked

"Is he alive?" Bella asked, ignoring his own question.

"For now," Lucas replied and threw the cloth aside. "I think he's ready for you."

Lucas spoke the last part with a smirk. Bella wasn't a girl he would ever want to mess with. What she was about to do to Scott, he never ever want done to him.

"Then we should begin," Bella said with a wicked smile.

Scott had made her feel more fear in a few short hours than she had felt in months. It was time for her to return the favour.

Bella walked back into the room and pulled up the other chair, placing it before the one that Scott was tied to. Lucas had entered the room behind her and shut the door. Bella looked down at the beautiful Filigree silver ring which contained a deep red ruby stone on the pinky finger of her right hand. She pulled it off her finger and turned back to Lucas who held out his own hand.

"Don't lose it," she told him.

"I won't."

Scott was watching with what appeared to be vague interest. In truth though, he was a little worried. Bella sat down on the chair across from him, a lot closer than he'd have expected her to get. She leaned forward and placed her hands on his face.

Darkness took over them both.

...

...

Nothing. It felt like nothingness if it was possible to feel such a thing. The absence of everything else. It returned suddenly to him. The sensation of solid ground beneath his feet. Awareness and everything else that being alive brought to you.

Opening his eyes, Scott realised he was standing and that he wasn't alone in this new place. Bella stood across from him looking slightly amused at his surprised expression.

"Where are we?" Scott asked

"In a motel in Idaho," Bella responded.

Scott looked around knowing damn well that they were not in a motel. This was a living room twice the size of the motel room; it had large decorative windows, polished wooden floors and a fire place with a roaring fire.

"You expect me to believe that?" Scott asked.

Bella just smiled and walked over to one of the antique high backed chairs near the fireplace. She sat down and ran her hands over the arms as if familiarising herself with it.

"I loved this chair. I used to curl up in it as a child and listen to my grandmother reading her favourite stories," Bella said with a smile. "It was destroyed in the fire unfortunately."

Scott frowned, showing his confusion. Bella waved her hand toward the other chair and with some hesitation he walked over and sat down in it. She was going to start this off slow.

"Have you heard of the method of loci?" Bella asked and he shook his head. "How about a memory palace?"

"Yeah, it's a way of remembering stuff, right?" Scott asked

"It's associating a memory with a certain visualisation whether that be a place or an object, to put it very basically," Bella explained to him.

It was an extremely basic explanation but Bella didn't have the time or inclination to get into the details with him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Scott's brow creased as he spoke.

Bella looked around the room before returning her attention to him and smiling.

"This is a room of my own memory palace," Bella told him.

For a long moment Scott just stared at her in disbelief. He began to realize what was going on. They were still in the motel room in Idaho. He was still tied to that chair. Yet he was also sitting by a fireplace with Bella who was sat in a piece of furniture that had been destroyed over a decade ago.

"This is..." Scott looked around the room.

Scott knew that Bella could do things but he'd never imagined that she could do something like this. He believed like the rest of the supernatural world that the majority of Bella's powers were inaccessible to her. Of course Bella was more than happy to let everyone believe that.

"A figment of my imagination, enhanced by my own abilities which allow me to project them to others. Really it's my own little world to play with where I control everything," Bella said with relish.

Scott was suddenly reminded of her warning to him earlier. That she didn't need knives to cause him pain.

"Why am I ... here?" Scott asked looking rather sick.

"I will find out who is giving you information but it's entirely up to you how I do that. Lucas has his methods and I have mine," Bella told him. "I can rip that memory from your psyche or you can just tell me."

"If I tell you then you'll kill me," Scott said.

"If you don't tell me then you won't die," Bella said which thoroughly confused him. "Allow me to clarify..."

She leaned forward slightly in her seat managing to look beautiful and terrifying all at once.

"If you make me go looking through your mind, then I will make sure you spend the rest of your natural life in a catatonic state, trapped inside your worst nightmares. It is very much like locked in syndrome, only you aren't aware of your surroundings because instead you are reliving every terrifying memory, thought and nightmare you've ever had."

The more Bella spoke, the paler Scott became. His stomach lurched and he could feel a fine sheen of sweat break out on his skin.

"Death is the kinder option," Bella said.

Scott was reeling. He wasn't used to being the one afraid, he made other people afraid. Underestimating Bella had been a crucial error and now it was going to mean death or something worse than death. To spend the rest of his life reliving every horror he'd seen, done and even thought of was worse than a nightmare. Every death, every moment of pain and he wouldn't be able to escape it or stop it.

"So make a choice," she told him.

-x-

When Bella had come back from wherever it was she'd taken Scott, both had been visibly changed. She had stood up and headed right for the bathroom, she had paused only to tell Lucas the name of the person who'd betrayed them then hurried into the adjoining room.

It was a woman. One of the few people who had helped Lucas to set things up in Idaho. She lived in Seattle and had probably but scared into revealing the truth. In case of an emergency she was one of the group who was supposed to help back Bella up.

Bella flinched when she heard the shower curtain being pulled back. His sigh was overly dramatic in her opinion. Like he'd never seen a girl sitting fully clothed in an empty bathtub before. She kept her eyes closed and let the coldness of the porcelain tub numb her body as best it could.

Lucas sat on the edge of the tub, looking down at her in concern. He leaned down to take hold of her hand and slipped the ruby ring back onto her pinky finger where it belonged.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Fine."

Bella was pretty sure he'd rolled his eyes when she'd answered but couldn't be sure. Finally she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"It was fine. He told me what we needed to know," Bella elaborated. "So don't look so worried."

"It was fine, which is why you are sitting in the bathtub," Lucas said trying to understand.

Bella sighed, resting her head back against the tiles. "It's exhausting, doing that. I can literally feel the energy leaving my body. I hate it. Good thing he did tell me because I don't think that I could have done what I threatened to."

Lucas hadn't realised how much it drained Bella. Her grandmother had made it look so easy; he'd just assumed that it would be the same for Bella. A mistake he would not make again.

"Apart from that, how do you feel?" Lucas asked looking at her blood stained clothes.

"It's nothing."

"Liar."

"We can't go to a hospital. This injury is obviously from a knife and they would call the police. Charlie is not going to know about this," Bella told him firmly.

"Charlie doesn't have to know. There's other options," Lucas said already formulating a plan in his mind.

It wouldn't be the first time that someone needed medical attention under the radar. Bella needed to have the wounds looked at and she wouldn't do anything about it without some pushing from Lucas.

"Stay here for a while," Lucas said standing up.

"Is he dead?" Bella asked closing her eyes again.

For a moment Lucas didn't say anything and just as she was about to speak, he spoke.

"Just stay here."

Lucas left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Bella settled back in the tub. Her arm stung and the cut to her side hurt as well but it wasn't anything that she couldn't put up with.

What bothered her more was the sense of distance. She could feel it now that she was still and her mind wasn't distracted. How far away she was from Forks and from him. A dull ache in her chest that was becoming more and more prominent with every passing hour.

_I miss him. I don't even know him and I miss him._

Only then did it occur to Bella to contemplate what would happen if Edward found out about what she was doing in Idaho. She'd gone to kill another human and though he may not die at her hand, she'd been willing to do it.

As soon as she'd thought it, Bella was angry with herself. She'd never cared what anyone thought before so why did it matter now? Why did it matter to her what Edward thought?

-x-

The drive to Port Angeles was rather tense. Lucas had taken Bella to a medical centre near Olympia, to be checked over by a doctor who readily accepted three hundred dollars to not fill out any paper work or ask too many questions. He tended to the injuries, gave Bella painkillers and also provided her with a letter to get her out of gym class for the next six weeks due to an ongoing medical issue.

"Do you have a plan?" Bella asked from the passenger seat.

"Pretty much," Lucas responded, keeping his eyes on the road ahead of them.

"Do I want to know?"

"I don't want you involved," Lucas said and she sighed.

"But I am involved. I'm the one who was sold out by this woman. She gave Scott my location without any thought of what would happen to me," Bella reminded him.

"I know that but I am going to this woman, breaking into her home and killing her. That's rather different to killing someone in self defence or when you're essentially in a battle for your life," Lucas told her firmly.

There was no grey area when it came to someone betraying them. No second chances. It had been that way with their parents, grandparents and generations before them. When someone sold them out, that person was killed. No middle ground. It was never if with them but when.

"I can handle it. Don't doubt me," Bella said resolutely.

"I don't doubt you. Believe me, after everything that's happened I do not doubt you," Lucas said. "I just don't need back up on this. You need to get back before someone realises you're gone."

"Charlie will know something is up. I should be in class right now," Bella pointed out.

"All the more reason for you to get back before he does anything, he is a police chief after all," Lucas said.

"I know that I do, but I also know that he won't do anything. Not yet," Bella said confidently.

"You need to go back and I need to do this."

"Why? Why do you need to do this Lucas?" she asked beginning to get annoyed.

"Because I brought this whole shit to you. It's because I involved you that your life was in danger," Lucas said angrily.

"You're blaming this on yourself? So you're going to act recklessly and fuck everything up?" Bella scoffed.

"I'm trying to fix it."

Bella shook her head in disbelief, turning her attention to the view out of the window. When Lucas got like this there was no talking him round, she'd learnt that very quickly.

"Actually, Forks isn't exactly the safest place to be right now," Bella said as an afterthought.

Maybe she could trust Lucas a little more. He'd come through today and helped her so maybe she could open up to him a little more. At least with this confusing piece of an unclear puzzle.

"Was it safe before your arrival?" Lucas smirked.

"Fuck you, people have been dying for weeks," Bella retorted.

"Dying?"

"Well only one body has been found so far. The woods around Forks are seriously messed up," Bella said sighing.

"Define messed up," Lucas said with a frown.

"The energy in the forest ... it's wrong. As if terrible things have happened there and left its mark on the ground, blackened it almost. I have never felt such darkness before," Bella explained to him.

"Do you have any idea what happened?" Lucas asked

"I found... bones."

"A body? Is it one of the people that have gone missing?"

"No. This body has been buried there for a long time. Since around 1980 I'm guessing," Bella answered.

It was then that Lucas put it together. Bella asking him to look into her father's past the other day and now, this revelation. The dates added up as he didn't leave Forks until a year later.

"Is this way you asked me to find out about your father?" Lucas asked

"Something took over me; I was completely under its thrall. It took me directly to those bones. I am my father's daughter and if he put that body there..." Bella trailed off.

"It could attach itself to you, recognising energies from your biological lineage," Lucas said half to himself.

He was working through all possible theories in his mind, wondering what exactly it was that Bella had stumbled upon.

Lucas brought the car to a stop at Bunker Road, just outside of Forks. Bella would walk from there. She got out the car, moving slower than usual due to the fresh stitches she had. Lucas walked round to the boot and got Bella's bag out for her.

"Be careful, okay?" he told her.

"You too."

Bella paused for a second before turning and starting to walk away. After two steps though, she stopped.

"Lucas?" she said and he turned to her. "I know that I'm still angry with you, but, I do love you."

The look of surprise showed that Lucas was very aware of just how deeply he'd hurt her.

"Why?"

Lucas walked back to her, needing to understand how she could even like him after everything that had happened.

"I lied to you Bella, manipulated you, abused you," he said. "How could you feel anything for me other than disgust?"

"You're all I have left," she answered simply.

Lucas was her last connection to New York. To the life she'd left behind and the life she'd had with her grandmother and with Etta.

Bella walked away, heading back towards Forks. Lucas stood by the car for a moment, watching her until she was out of sight.

What Bella felt for Lucas wasn't love, it wasn't even close. It was more akin to Stockholm syndrome. Everyone in her own life had been lost and she'd formed an attachment to the one person who had remained with her for any length of time. Someone who cared for her and showed her affection regardless of the motives.

* * *

The more you review, the faster i write :)


	12. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

* * *

Back in Forks and with Lucas on his way to Seattle, Bella focused on some more immediate concerns, like dealing with Charlie when she got back to the house. She was walking rather slowly, not eager for the conversation that would be had when she reached her new home.

It was dark and Bella knew she looked strange walking down the street looking tired and more than a little disconnected from the place she was back in now. She needed to get out of the daze she found herself in and focus on what was going to happen next. Transitioning from what had just happened back to normality was leaving her feeling more than a little off.

Bella would have to explain herself to Charlie and he was a police officer so she would have to be convincing. Not that she hadn't already had plenty of practice over the years, but this would be rather different.

Bella felt sick as she walked up the path. This was going to be a new experience for her, having someone to answer to. Taking a deep breath, Bella opened the front door and headed in. She heard the scrape of a chair straight away.

"Bella?"

"Yeah. I'm here." Bella said.

She dropped her bag by the door, wondering if she could get it upstairs before Charlie noticed it. Entering the kitchen, Bella found herself enveloped in a tight embrace.

"Jesus Bella, I've been out of my mind," Charlie said sounding both relieved and angry.

"I'm sorry."

"Where have you been? The school called, you weren't there today," Charlie said.

Bella stepped back, putting some space between them. Usually she didn't allow anyone that close to her, let alone hug her. Physical contact was a hard limit for her. Until Edward anyway. However Bella could see how anxious Charlie had been so she let this go.

"I'm sorry Charlie, I didn't mean to cause you all this worry," Bella told him.

"Where were you?" Charlie asked.

"I just needed some space. Some time to work all this out," Bella said.

"Some space?"

"This weekend, I slowed down and thought about everything. I just, panicked and... I'm okay now," Bella explained.

"You're alright?" he half asked.

"Yes."

Charlie sighed. He'd been worried sick about his niece and didn't have a clue where to begin searching for her. He was relieved that she'd come back and seemed to be okay. He'd gone to call her several times before remembering he didn't have her cell phone number.

"I just had a bad moment of panic," Bella said.

"Are you having second thoughts about being here?" Charlie asked

"No. I'm not." Bella said and sighed. "It just overwhelmed me for a second. That's all."

Charlie nodded, appearing to accept that. It wasn't ludicrous for someone to feel out of sorts after such a change in their life.

"I'm glad you're back," Charlie said.

It hadn't been as bad as Bella was expecting. He'd been more understanding which she appreciated.

"Bella..."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Maybe uh, you should, talk to someone," Charlie suggested a little hesitantly.

"You mean..."

"Someone who could help you cope with the changes. With everything that's happened," Charlie finished.

"Yeah," Bella said thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right."

Seeing a therapist had been on her to do list but she had purposely refused to think about it until now. If agreeing to this made Charlie feel better about what she'd done then would do it.

"Okay. I'll find someone," Bella nodded.

"That's great," Charlie smiled.

Charlie went to get some fresh coffee and Bella relaxed somewhat. She hadn't realised that she'd felt so tense until that moment. Going home and someone being concerned was a very new thing for her. It was hard to get her head around.

Something caught her attention.

She looked to the window, searching for whatever it was that she'd seen in her peripheral vision. There was nothing there though. She couldn't see a damn thing.

"Bella?"

Her head turned back to her uncle and she found him looking at her expectantly.

"I need you to promise me that you won't do anything like this again. I get that this is a transition but running off like that, I can't handle that Bella. So please, just, try not to," Charlie told her.

"I won't run off again. I'm sorry," Bella said.

"And give me your phone number," Charlie said and she laughed.

-x-

Bella grabbed her bag and headed up the stairs to her bedroom. She told Charlie she was going to get changed before she got something to eat. It was almost nine in the evening and she'd been gone since yesterday morning, longer than she'd expected. Not that Charlie knew she'd been gone that length of time. He'd got back late and gone to bed. It wasn't until he got the phone call that he realised she'd taken off.

Once inside the room, Bella shut the door and dropped her bag. She quickly did a scan of the room but spotted nothing odd or out of place there. She shook her head slightly wondering what she'd been expecting.

_A note from him? Damn I'm pathetic._

Bella shed her sweater and scarf then walked over to the mirror. She could see the red marks at her neck and collarbone from the knife and knew that she would have to keep them concealed. When she lifted her shirt, she gently pulled back at the taped gauze which covered the stitches.

The stitches were black and the whole area looked red and raw. It was very unpleasant and Bella was relieved to have the painkillers the doctor had given her. As she moved around her bedroom, she couldn't help looking for any minor change.

_Stop looking, you'll just be disappointed._

Bella didn't know what she hoping to find. A note, a secret message from Edward concealed somewhere within her room? She wouldn't be upset if she found nothing as she knew those were just the consequences of her own actions. Bella had all but fled from Forks without any warning.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Bella sighed and lay back on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. The events of the last two days seemed like a dream now that she was back in her room in Forks. The pain from the laceration to her side served as a reminder though that it had all been very real.

Scott was dead and Lucas was handling the other issue. On paper she was safe in Forks but she felt anything but. She'd done a good job covering her tracks when she left New York but she wasn't stupid enough to think she'd been perfect in doing it.

As she would like to spend the next few hours over analysing every single thing that had happened in minute detail, she couldn't. Sleep was something she desperately needed if she was going to attend school the following day.

_Two days at the school and I'm skipping already, new record?_

Bella shifted up the bed so she was leaning back against the pillows and closed her eyes.

-x-

Turning into the parking lot of Forks High school was ten times harder that Tuesday morning than it had been her first day. Being the new girl and then skipping was definitely one way to stay on everyone's radar. Bella parked in an empty spot and the second she got out, people were staring at her.

_Wonderful_.

She'd only taken a few steps when Mike appeared from nowhere and fell into step with her.

"Where were you?" Mike asked her. "We thought that you'd changed your mind about our fair town."

"No. I'm still here," Bella said managing not to look annoyed.

"So..." Mike said expectantly.

"So?"

"Why weren't you here?" Mike asked.

"Because I was somewhere else," Bella said with only a little sarcasm to her tone of voice.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's cool," Mike said quickly. "Just trying to be friendly."

Bella smiled at him. "A girl has to have some mystery, right?"

Mike laughed, grinning at her in delight. It was the friendliest she'd been towards him and he took it as a good sign. They headed into the building and Mike smirked as he noticed all the guys who were looking enviously at him.

"What's your first class?" Mike asked

"History," Bella said

"I have Spanish, do you have that or French?" he enquired.

"Neither."

"Huh? I thought a language was a requirement," Mike said looking a little puzzled.

Bella paused outside the classroom door, wondering how quickly she could wrap this up. Having a meaningful conversation with this guy hadn't been on her to do list.

"I already speak Spanish and French pretty fluently. I have that period as free study," Bella explained.

"Wow, that's impressive," Mike said with a smile.

"I better go in." Bella gestured to the class room.

Mike nodded and Bella ducked inside before he could say anything else. He waved at her retreating back. Bella had an absence slip to give to the front office at break and decided to just say nothing to her teachers about her day off unless specifically asked.

Bella sat down at a free desk and avoided looking at anyone. People looked at her with curious expressions but no one came over to speak to her for which she was very grateful.

"Settle down everyone," the teacher said as he cleaned off the white board.

Bella glanced up just as Alice entered, looking wonderfully different to the rest of the girls in her long floaty dress, short dark hair sticking out in every direction and dreamy expression, like she was permanently day dreaming. Alice took her seat and even though she didn't even look in Bella's direction, knew the newcomer was sat there, willing herself to become invisible.

"We are going to resume our work on the Civil War..." the teacher told the class, beginning the lesson.

Bella was frustrated. In these lessons the complete and truthful story of the war was often lost depending on the authors of the text books, the person teaching the lesson and even that teachers own teacher when they were a student. At least that was what her grandmother had taught her.

Ten minutes into the lesson, Bella was incredibly bored. It was nothing that she hadn't already heard before. Apparently Alice had heard it before as well; she glanced around the classroom, eyes lingering on Bella for a long moment. Bella did her best not to react but she could feel the vampire's eyes on her.

Alice wasn't just unusual for a vampire, but unusual as a girl. There was something that drew Bella in. An odd sincerity about her which was odd only because it was something Bella was very unused to finding. She couldn't understand girl's desires to pretend to be anything other than what they were.

"And in what year did Lincoln make Grant commander of all Union armies? Tyler?" the teacher asked.

Bella occasionally glanced up, pretending to pay attention but her mind was elsewhere.

"Uhh, a year in the war?" Tyler asked.

A number of their classmates snickered at Tyler's comment. Bella wasn't the only one not really paying any attention to the history lesson going on. Jessica was a few desks along and seemed to be asleep in her chair, not even managing to keep her eyes open.

Throughout the lesson Bella made occasional notes so it seemed like she was paying attention. She was pleased when the bell went and they were finally able to leave. Bella left the class and as she walked down the hallway, she checked her schedule.

_Gym. Fucking hell. _

This was the lesson she hadn't been looking forward to. She wasn't against sports or exercise, just those that involved team work and interacting with others. Not to mention that the whole concept of Gym was cruel and unusual. Her first lesson should have been yesterday but of course she had missed it.

Bella walked to the Gym and instead of following the sign to the changing rooms, went to find the teacher. Coach Clapp was standing outside his office with a clipboard in hand.

"Can I help you?" he asked seeing Bella approach.

"I'm Bella Levitan. I'm in this class, I'm new," she told him politely.

Coach Clapp checked something on the clipboard and then slowly nodded to himself.

"You missed class yesterday."

"Yes. I was injured while with friends over the weekend and needed medical attention. I have a doctor's note," Bella explained.

Bella handed the note to Coach Clapp who unfolded it and quickly read through. The teacher looked from the note to Bella and back to the piece of paper again.

"Okay then, take a seat on the bleachers," Coach Clapp said.

Bella nodded and went back towards the main part of the Gym to observe the lesson. She moved up a couple of steps and sat down, close to the door in case a swift exit was needed. Bella took a book out of her bag, just so she would have something to do.

Her eyes were on the page but she wasn't reading a word. She heard the doors open and a few of the class come in, closely followed by some more students. Bella kept her head down and stared at her book, trying to slow the manic beating of her heart. She felt incredibly tense and her legs shook as if she was ready to spring and run at any moment. This was going to draw even more attention to herself which wasn't what she wanted but joining in the class wasn't possible.

"Hey Bella."

Bella was poised to run as he looked over the top of her book and relaxed a fraction when she saw it was Angela.

"Hi," Bella said with a small smile.

"I'm glad you're here today," Angela said with a friendly tone. "Are you sitting this lesson out?"

"Doctors note. Old injury," Bella said simply.

"You're lucky. Enjoy your book," Angela said then walked back to join the others.

Bella smiled slightly to herself. Angela was nice and not nosy like other people in this town. She looked back to her book feeling a little calmer though under no illusions that others would be as respectful of her privacy as Angela.

The class began and Bella did her best to read her book. She got quite a few looks from the students who were evidently wondering why she wasn't taking part in the class.

-x-

It was during lunch that Bella saw the Cullens. She'd just sat down with her lunch when Rosalie and Emmett walked in together. Both were smiling as if sharing their own private secret. They walked over to where Jasper and Alice were sat with Edward and joined their siblings at the table.

Bella had seen Edward when she first walked in and had forced herself to only glance in their direction. She didn't want to be caught openly staring at them by anyone, let alone Edward. So she'd just bought lunch and went to the table where Angela was sitting.

"Is that all you got?" Angela asked upon seeing Bella's lunch.

A bottle of water, a small pasta salad and a banana was all she'd bought from the canteen.

"Not got a big appetite." Bella shrugged.

She undid the lid on the bottle and took a sip. She could see Lauren glaring at her from another table and sighed. That little matter had slipped her mind and she wondered what exactly the consequences of their altercation would be. Lauren was not the kind of girl to just let things slide.

"Did you have a good weekend?" Angela asked

"Eventful," Bella said with a nod then asked. "You?"

"I watched my brothers for my mom. They are so hectic I'm wondering if she should have them tested for ADHD," Angela said.

"Sounds exhausting," Bella said.

Angela nodded and swallowed her mouthful of food. Having Bella alone at the table was a chance she might not get again. Bella wouldn't be so relaxed if Jessica and others were sitting with them.

"You know, there's some pretty crazy stories going round about why you weren't here yesterday," Angela said keeping her voice quiet.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Angela nodded.

"Well I went to see an old friend who was staying nearby. We went to a party and after that everything gets a bit hazy," Bella said and Angela laughed.

"Sounds like you had much more fun than I did," Angela smiled.

"Next thing I know its Monday morning and I've forgotten completely about school," Bella explained.

"I wish I had that option," Angela said though only half meant it. "So this friend, was it a guy?"

"I would expect that question from Jessica, not you," Bella said, faux scolding her.

"I'm sorry, it just sounds so... exotic," Angela said dreamily.

"Exotic? God girl, we need to get you out of Forks," Bella laughed, shaking her head. "My weekend was not exotic."

"So, was it a guy?" Angela asked

Bella decided to take a risk and trust Angela. So after a moment of consideration, she nodded.

"I knew it. Are you two an item?"

"No. He's just ..." Bella paused unsure of how to explain this. "I've known him a long time. Our families were close so we spent a lot of time together. We had a falling out a while back and this was a... chance to put that behind us."

"Did it work out?" Angela asked.

"Yeah, it started to," Bella said nodding.

Bella was satisfied by what she said; basically the truth with some of the more unusual factors left out.

"Oh I forgot my drink," Angela said

Angela left to go and buy one, leaving Bella at the table. She glanced over to where the Cullens were sitting, not eating their lunch. They were talking amongst themselves and appeared like any other group of students there in the room. Until you looked closer at them at least.

Rosalie was trying not to look amused at whatever story Emmett was telling them, Alice was smiling happily and even Edward looked amused. It seemed like they weren't aware of anything beyond their own table. That seemed to include Bella because Edward hadn't so much as glanced in her direction since she walked in.

-x-

Biology was the lesson that Bella was most anxious about. Edward had been in her Humanities class but he'd been sat right at the back whereas the only free table had been at the front. He had left when the bell rang while Bella gathered her books. It left her feeling highly confused as Edward hadn't approached her, talked to her or even acknowledged her being there.

Walking into Biology, Bella saw that Edward was sat at the bench already and she paused for a moment before walking over and sitting down in her seat beside him.

"Hi," she said softly.

Bella waited but no response came. He just continued staring down at his notebook as if not hearing her. The teacher told them to settle down so he could begin and the chatter died down. Bella opened her book but she wasn't thinking about Biology at all.

_What have I done?_

When Bella looked round to Edward, he was staring ahead at the teacher looking absorbed in the lesson. His reaction or lack of one was like a punch to the gut for her. He acted like she wasn't there, as if the time they'd shared hadn't actually happened. Not only was it hurtful but it made no sense considering what had happened when they'd last seen each other.

Throughout the lesson, Bella glanced over to him, hoping for some kind of reaction or acknowledgement but she didn't get one. The longer she was sat there the worse she felt. She had no idea why he was treating her like this; she hadn't done anything to cause such a cold response.

Honestly, she was reeling.

She started rehearsing in her mind what she was going to say to him at the end of the lesson. The questions she had to ask him about his behaviour today and all those still left over from the previous week. However when the bell rang, Edward stood and was out the classroom before she could even take a breath.

Slowly standing, Bella once again found herself leaving Biology class in a daze. That feeling didn't leave and at the end of the day as Bella walked to her car, she was feeling worse than when she'd walked back to her uncle's house the previous day.

Edward had ignored her and that had hurt her more than she'd ever expected for someone who she'd known for less than a week. Her emotions were being shredded and she felt utterly bewildered which wasn't something that Bella did well. She shut off her emotions for a reason but this damn vampire had flicked the switch and had sent her reeling.

Her anger built and built as she drove home. Thankfully there weren't many other people on the road which was a good thing for them as she could be a rather aggressive driver. She was as confused as she was angry and that combination wasn't an easy thing to process.

Charlie's car wasn't there when Bella got back to the house and she slammed the car door as she got out.

"Fuck!"

She felt something, a prickling sensation that broke out over her skin and disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. For a moment she stood by her car then slowly looked towards the forest.

_I felt it. Something was watching me._

If her mind hadn't been so frantic she would have gone into the forest and searched for whatever it was that had been watching her. The stitches she had also had to be taken into consideration, it would be just her luck to rip them and need to go to Forks General.

Pushing her curiosity away, Bella walked into the house. Despite the unsettling forest right outside, she didn't lock the door. She figured that if something did ever want to get in then a simple door wouldn't make much difference.

She went straight up to her room and powered up her laptop. This was her first chance to find out the status of the search for the missing hikers though now it was probably classed as a murder investigation. Bella wondered what that meant for Charlie. Would someone else come in and take over? Even if that did happen they would need people who knew the terrain so he may be kept involved.

Bella checked the local news sites that were covering the story and was relieved to learn that no one else had gone missing. The National Forest had been closed until further notice and guards were posted at every entrance. Hopefully people were paying attention and not going into the woods. This was not the time to go on a family camping trip.

Further reading revealed that the body found in the river had yet to be identified to the public. Bella instantly started going over the many different reasons that could be. One that stuck at the forefront of her mind was that the coroner needed to rely on dental records or DNA for an ID.

Unfortunately nothing that Bella read online helped her determine whether it was a human killer or something else. Something she was more qualified to deal with than the police.

-x-

Bella sat down cross legged on her bed and removed the lid off the small shoe box. She needed to relax and get her mind off Edward and going through old photos and keepsakes always helped to distract her. It was something she didn't do often, out of concern that it lost its effectiveness.

The fire which had destroyed Bella's home the same night that her mother died meant she'd lost most of the photographs but her grandmother had given her many over the years, helping her to create a little collection.

Bella's mother Liliya had been so beautiful. Most of the few memories she had of Liliya were of her smiling and happy. Unfortunately the most prominent ones were of the night she'd been killed.

_Her cotton nightdress clung to her tiny body as she ran into the library searching. Smoke was filling the building and every few minutes there was a crash as supporting walls gave out._

"_Mommy? Mommy?"_

_Blood had soaked through the material and it stuck to her skin causing a disgusting sensation. Bella saw a dark haired figure on the ground and rushed over. Using all her strength, the little girl pulled until the person was on their back._

"_Mommy!" Bella cried._

_Liliya was lying on the carpet, dead. Her eyes stared at nothing, totally void of the warmth and love that had made her who she was. Bella clung to her mother's body, willing her to wake up. She tried shaking her but nothing was working._

_Tears fell down Bella's cheek and she fell into full blown sobbing. She leaned down on the carpet beside her mother and curled up into a tiny ball by her side._

Bella pushed that memory aside, instead looking at photo of herself and her mother on her third birthday. They were both smiling and looked so happy together. Bella looked a lot like her mother; they both shared dark hair, pale skin and blue eyes.

Picking up another photo, Bella smiled as she looked at her then thirteen year old self and her then sixteen year old sister Etta. It was the last picture that had been taken of the two of them. Seven weeks later, Etta had killed herself.

Etta had always been... different to put it kindly and crazy to be a little more honest. Even before Liliya had died the signs had been there, only Bella had been too young to notice. The night their mother had died, Etta had been staying with their grandmother, Ana, for a hospital appointment with a specialist child psychiatrist.

After that night, she'd gotten worse according to Ana.

The hallucinations started off almost entertaining. They weren't scary or unpleasant. Etta appeared to enjoy them, telling Bella about them as if they were daydreams. By the time she was nine though, that dramatically changed. They would terrify Etta to her very core and leave her screaming and shaking. In turn that would upset Bella who hated to see her sister distressed in this way.

For almost two years, Etta went mute. That was the first time she was put in a psychiatric hospital. From that point on Etta and Bella were separated a great deal. The doctors had been concerned that as the younger sibling, Bella could start copying her behaviour. Bella didn't imitate it, she learnt from it.

On May 17th, Etta jumped from the window on the top floor of a psychiatric hospital, killing herself instantly.

The following day was the first time that Bella tried to kill herself.

* * *

Thank you for reading. The more you review the faster i write :)


	13. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Bella's first complete week in Forks was painfully normal. She attended school, did her homework, talked to people politely and had dinner with her uncle on the evenings he was home. Charlie and Bella got to know each other more which she enjoyed. Those seven days were a complete contrast to what the first few days had been like for her in the small town.

It made Bella wonder if those days had been an anomaly that wouldn't be repeated. Was her time in Forks going to be normal and uneventful like the last week had been? Bella had gone to Forks to have that kind of life as she finished school but she wasn't about to let her guard down and believe she would have a relaxed time.

What bothered Bella the most about everything was Edward. He had continued to ignore her and what had happened between them. Acting like they were nothing more than fellow students. She knew that he was aware of her though as she would see his hands clench into tight fists. Especially the days following her return when her injuries where fresh. His proximity to her blood was still painful to him but he was fighting against it.

Bella had briefly considered confronting him but had decided against it. If he didn't want anything to do with her then she wasn't going to force him to have anything to do with her. She didn't need to worry about him keeping her secret as he would as long as she kept his.

She'd gone from being confused and hurt to being very angry. Most of the anger was directed at herself though. She'd started to lower her guard with him and ended up being hurt again. By the end of the week she was kicking herself for ever thinking that she could have a real connection with anyone, least of all a vampire.

It didn't mean the feelings had gone though.

For the first couple of days Edward would watch her like a hawk, but only when he thought she wasn't looking. It felt like he didn't want her to know that he was interested. She noticed his eyes linger on a scrape on her hand from her fight with Scott and for a moment she thought he was going to say something. He didn't.

Sitting beside him in Biology was an hour long challenge for Bella in regulating her heart rate so he wouldn't know how affected she was just by his presence. She made sure to act extremely normal when around him, doing nothing that would indicate anything was wrong.

Every time she saw him, it felt like there was a magnet inside her pulling her to him. Fighting against it felt unnatural but she wasn't going to act on what she felt. Not when he'd made it clear that he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Aside from the Edward issue, Bella was settling in to life in Forks rather well. The lessons weren't too challenging and most of her classmates were nice and welcoming. Lauren had maintained her icy glare throughout the week but had kept her distance.

On Saturday she accompanied Charlie to Port Angeles and he gave her his own tour of the town. They had coffee and walked to the pier so he could show her the boats. Bella discovered that he one day wanted his own boat for fishing and not just fish on the rivers. Charlie asked her a few things about her life back in New York but mainly he asked about her time at school and what friends she'd made.

For breakfast on Sunday, Charlie took Bella to his favourite diner which seemed to be the place to be. Angela was there with her parents and little brothers. When she saw Bella, she smiled and waved. Bella was less pleased to see Lauren there with her parents, both of whom appeared rather sullen. Throughout breakfast, Bella would glance over to the table that Lauren was at and not once did she see the family talking or looking remotely happy to be in each other's company.

Bella ordered blueberry pancakes while Charlie had a fry up. The pancakes were amazing and she was considering getting more.

"You'll have to come fishing with me sometime," Charlie said to Bella as she took a sip of water.

"I don't think I'd be very good but sure," Bella said.

Charlie had told her about his fishing trips with his friends and was eager to take Bella. He still felt a little guilty about leaving her alone so much during her first few days in Forks.

"Do you want anything else?" Charlie asked.

"No, I'm good thanks," Bella said popping one of the blueberries into her mouth.

Charlie looked up as two people approached their table. Bella glanced up to find Lauren Mallory's parents standing there.

"Joe," Charlie said in greeting.

"Charlie, it's good to see you having some down time. I know you've been busy what with the recent events and everything," Joe said pleasantly.

"Thanks Joe," Charlie said with a nod. "Uh this is my niece, Isabella. This is Joe and Linda Mallory."

"You must know our daughter Lauren," Linda said glancing back to the sulking teen just behind her.

"Yeah we've met," Bella murmured.

Linda was an older version of her daughter. Same white blonde hair, very similar face and the same nasal voice that grated on Bella's nerves. She didn't look even a little friendly.

"How do you like Forks so far?" Joe asked.

"It's nice. Very different to what I'm used to," Bella said.

Lauren didn't look pleased to be kept waiting while her parents chatted and she was giving Bella dark looks.

"You're from a city, yes?" Linda enquired.

"Manhattan."

"Hmm," Linda said pursing her lips.

Bella imagined that was the most impressed Linda ever allowed herself to appear. No wonder Lauren turned out to be the bitch she was.

"If you need anything just let me know," Joe said turning conversation back to the investigation.

"Will do." Charlie nodded.

Joe shook hands with Charlie and then held his hand out to Bella to do the same. The second her hand touched Joe's it was like the ground had been ripped out from under her. It was like a fish hook had been fed through her intestines and now someone was tearing it back through her body and up out her throat.

"It was nice meeting you," Joe told her.

Bella couldn't respond. A cold sweat had broken out down her spine and the urge to yank her hand out of his was immense. She had never felt such a strong sense of hatred, loathing and menace since a rather disturbing encounter in New Orleans.

"Yeah, likewise," Bella said shakily.

His hand left hers and the feeling evaporated, leaving Bella with a bitter after taste. The three of them left and Charlie resumed his small talk while Bella tried to continue with her food.

-x-

For the rest of the day, Bella couldn't forget what had happened with Joe Mallory. She would be doing something like reading or preparing dinner and suddenly a wave of it would come over her again. Something in her was trying to remind her of this encounter, that this wasn't normal or something to be ignored.

Bella didn't plan to ignore it at all but right now the most pressing issue was her first therapist's appointment on Monday after school. She'd promised Charlie so she would do this.

Bella told herself that everything would be fine as she drove to school that morning. She did her best to concentrate on her lessons, to take notes and be somewhat sociable with the people she sat with at lunch but her impending appointment was always on her mind.

"I've checked on line, the weather forecast is good so this weekend, we surf!" Eric told the group as he ran over.

Bella had joined Angela with Jessica, Mike, Tyler and Ben outside as it wasn't raining.

"You surf?" Bella asked.

"Not well," Mike snickered at him. "I on the other hand am something to behold."

Jessica giggled. It was rather over the top and Angela rolled her eyes making Bella laugh. The last few days, Jessica's flirting with Mike had been ridiculous and it was incredibly obvious. Bella didn't know if Mike was oblivious to it or just ignoring it.

"You going Ange?" Jessica asked her friend.

"Uh, yeah. I think so," Angela nodded then looked to Bella. "Will you come too?"

"Maybe," Bella said though she didn't sound very enthusiastic. "I know that Charlie wanted to do something."

"You've got to come, I can show you my moves," Tyler said with smirk directed at Bella.

"What moves?" Ben scoffed, shaking his head. "You spend more time in the water than on your board."

The boys banter and showing off was directed purely at the three females and while Jessica was lapping it up, Angela and Bella were not impressed. Bella had been watching Angela and had quickly deduced that she was much more open to Ben than any of the other guys. Ben was quieter and had more in common with Angela.

They were all still talking about the trip to the beach when they headed to class.

"Hey Angela, what do you know about Lauren's family?" Bella asked casually.

"Her mom's kinda useless. Not a mom type at all," Angela said sympathetically. "Treated Lauren more as a fashion accessory than a child. Jessica said they used to do matching outfits."

"That is very wrong," Bella said feeling a little bad for the girl.

"Her dad is horrible. He's a lawyer and used to work at this firm in Seattle, a big shot apparently. He never looks happy or even pleasant," Angela told her, then added, "why do you ask?"

"I met him yesterday at the diner. I didn't like him," Bella said grimacing slightly.

"No one does, it's not just you," Angela said kindly.

Bella felt a little better. She never got a good reading off unpleasant people and maybe Joe Mallory was just particularly nasty. Bella couldn't dwell on it though, not with her first appointment with her new therapist just hours away.

Angela headed into class and Bella followed behind her, hoping this lesson would at least be a distraction. Walking in Bella saw Edward tense at his desk; his hand clenched his pen so hard she thought it would break. Knowing that he was still affected by her was a double edged sword; it brought up that tinge of pain and almost loss.

"You okay?" Angela asked her.

"Yeah, fine," Bella nodded.

-x-

These offices all looked so alike. To Bella it was like someone had used a generic copy for every therapist's office in the country. Even down to the blurry water colour paintings on the wall.

Dr Nolan sat in a chair across from the one that Bella sat in. He was in his late thirties judging by the college diploma on the wall though he looked much younger. He'd spent a few minutes getting something from his desk before sitting down.

Bella had sat down and remained rigid in her seat, ready to flee at a moment's notice. There was a relatively clear path from the chair to the door. Despite years of attending these meetings with various doctors and in different offices, it was always enemy territory and nothing could make her relax and feel comfortable.

Clearing his throat, Dr Nolan clicked his pen and wrote something at the top of the notepad.

"According to your file, you have been in therapy since you were ten years old."

Dr Nolan looked at her expectantly and she just stared back. He lifted the notepad to double check his facts.

"Am I wrong?" he asked.

"No. You were right," Bella answered.

"You didn't say anything Miss Levitan," Dr Nolan said.

"You didn't ask a question," She said not able to hold back the annoyance in her voice.

Bella didn't want to be friendly and co-operative in case it set a precedent for future sessions. Better they get to meet the real her right off the bat and know what they were dealing with. She was doing this for Charlie and others who had wanted her to get help but that didn't mean she couldn't do it her way.

"Can I ask why you are here?" Dr Nolan asked. "You didn't have to resume therapy after you left New York, why did you decide to?"

"I made a promise," Bella said simply.

"To whom? A friend? Family member?"

Bella looked down at her hands rather than look at him, her eyes drifting to the bracelet on her wrist. The pearls intermixed with blue lace agate made an elegant combination.

"Does it matter? I'm here, aren't I?" Bella asked.

"Your motives for attending are important," Dr Nolan said stressing the last word.

Bella didn't look convinced. So far therapy had been of very little use to her but for some reason she continued attending. Some miss guided sense of obligation probably.

Etta.

It was because of her sister that Bella had continued with therapy. For some reason, Etta had been convinced that her little sister could be saved. She'd made Bella promise not to give up on therapy despite it being clear Etta herself given up on it.

"Is there anything you would like to discuss?" Dr Nolan asked seeing he wasn't going to get anywhere with motives.

"Not really."

"You just moved to town, how are you finding it?" he asked.

"I'm being asked a lot of questions. Apparently I'm interesting," Bella said with a shrug.

"You disagree," he said and she rolled her eyes. "You don't like being asked questions, do you?"

"No."

"Why is that?"

"My life is no one else's business. I live it. Why should I have to share details with anyone else?" Bella asked.

"Perhaps people want to get to know you," he suggested.

"Perhaps people are deeply unsatisfied with their own lives and would prefer to live vicariously through me," Bella retorted.

"You have a very cynical view of the world," Dr Nolan said.

"Not cynical, just experienced."

Bella had been through enough in her short life to know there were no happy endings. It didn't matter how nice you were or what good deeds you did, bad things could happen to you no matter what.

"Just because you've experienced bad things in your past it doesn't mean that your future will be full of them."

"Doesn't mean that it won't," Bella said.

Dr Nolan studied her for a minute or two. Her expression gave nothing away and neither did her body language. She was sat in a very normal position which he knew she'd chosen purposely so that he couldn't gage what she was thinking or feeling. Everything she did was cautious and premeditated.

"You're very good at this," Dr Nolan told her.

A tiny hint of a smile graced Bella's lips as she responded to the doctor's statement.

"What is that?" Bella asked.

"That," Nolan stated firmly. "Exactly that, Miss Levitan. Pretending you don't know exactly what I'm talking about. I bet the moment that you enter a room you have a complete lay of the land. The people, the atmosphere. Everything."

Despite her calm facade, Bella was a little surprised. This doctor was different than the ones she was used to. He wasn't so easily pulled into her little game. Seven years had made her a master manipulator with these people but perhaps her tricks wouldn't work here.

"I think you came in here today prepared to test me. Pretend you have no real desire to partake in therapy but the truth is I think you want it. You want to stop letting your past affect your present. Maybe lower those walls you've got around yourself."

Bella's hands clenched ever so slightly. Not enough that Dr Nolan noticed but she knew.

"I don't mind you testing me. Trying to work out what kind of doctor I am. If I truly care about helping my patients. I'm guessing some that you've come across didn't really listen to you, actually look past the smokescreen you project."

Her blue eyes turned cold, clearly not appreciating his analysis of her and her behaviour. Never before had Dr Nolan seen a teenage girl who looked so unemotional and detached. Most of his patients had an air of vulnerability that came with the damage from their pasts. This girl had walls of steel up around her.

Dr Nolan realised this girl would be one of his most difficult patients and he wanted to do something to help her.

"Do you want help? Is there something in your life you would like to change?" Nolan asked.

_Besides every single aspect about it?_

"Nothing springs to mind," Bella said with a shrug.

"Why do you think you were sent to see a psychiatrist?" he asked her with an expectant look.

"Doesn't my file tell you?" Bella asked raising an eyebrow.

"I want you to tell me."

No matter how many times they pulled that trick, it was still damn annoying.

"Post traumatic stress," Bella answered.

"Was that it?"

"I don't know. My grandmother just said that this lady will talk to you about some things and it may help," Bella told him.

Bella had thought nothing of it really when she'd first been told by her grandmother that she was going to meet this person. She had been young and had no idea of what it truly meant. It had taken a while for Bella to understand what therapy was.

"She?" he enquired.

"My grandmother."

"You were raised by your grandmother?" Dr Nolan asked scribbling something down quickly.

"Now I know it says that in my file," Bella said.

"I was hoping it may lead to a discussion about your parents," Nolan said with cautious optimism.

"Not much to discuss. They are both dead," Bella said simply.

"And how do you feel about that?"

The way they overused that question made Bella want to scream. She was expected to share her feelings on anything and everything like she was an open book. What happened to easing into things? This was only the first meeting.

"By this point I don't really feel anything at all," Bella answered.

-x-

Bella walked out of the building after her appointment and headed across the parking lot towards her car. That hour hadn't gone like she'd expected it to and now she was going to have to rethink some things. At the end of the session she'd agreed to go back next week but was unsure if she actually would.

She was almost at her car when she felt it.

An energy so vibrant and electric that Bella felt she'd been hit with it full force. Energy that she had felt before but only very recently. During her kiss with Edward. He was close by.

"Come out. I know you're there."

Bella turned her head, looking around and when she looked back in the direction she'd been walking, Edward was standing before her. She sighed, shaking her head. Of all the days to do something, he chose this one? A day when she was already feeling vulnerable and on edge?

"I'm starting to think that you should be in the one in therapy," Bella told him angrily.

"Bella."

"Ignoring me for a week and then following me to my therapists' appointment? That is really messed up."

"I know."

"Oh good, well as long as you know that," Bella snarked.

Her anger hadn't been as controlled as she thought. She hated that one person could affect her so deeply and make her feel so hurt and rejected. He couldn't pick and choose if and when he would acknowledge her, it didn't work like that.

"I tried to keep my distance but I couldn't. I need to know if you were alright," Edward told her.

"I'm fine. You can go now."

Bella resumed walking to her car but Edward followed, much to her annoyance.

"I don't want to go," Edward said almost pleading.

"Seriously? Your mood swings are giving me whip lash."

Bella had stopped and turned around to face him. She was being driven mad by this vampire. Edward sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was more than frustrated with himself and how this was going. Conversations with Bella never went the way he wanted them to.

Bella frowned, wondering if she was being a little too confrontational with him. He didn't seem to be doing this on purpose. Maybe he was as overwhelmed as she was.

"Maybe I'm being defensive here but you have spent the last week acting like I don't exist only to revert back to being my stalker," Bella pointed out.

"I am stalking you. Technically," Edward admitted looking slightly sheepish.

"Well the first step is admitting you have a problem," She said.

"Boundary issues aren't my problem."

"Then what is?" she asked.

"I'm infatuated with you," Edward told her. "I can't bear not being near you, it's been torture."

Edward had only just stopped himself from proclaiming his love for her and that was a good thing as while Bella hadn't run, she didn't look happy.

"That doesn't make sense," Bella said, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "You are the one who has stayed away. I didn't ask you to."

"I didn't want to make things more difficult for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you talking with Charlie. You said things were overwhelming you and that's why you left town," Edward said.

Bella couldn't believe it. That was why he'd been acting like she was invisible? She remembered that night she'd got back, after she'd spoken to Charlie she had seen something out the window. A small movement out near the trees, she'd dismissed it as nothing but now she knew that it had been Edward.

"Edward, I was lying," Bella said after a moment's silence.

"You were?"

"Yes. I had to leave town and needed an excuse he would believe. It was just something I made up," Bella explained.

Edward was shocked. He'd stayed away and not just because his presence seemed to effect her but because of what Carlisle had told him. Neither issue was going to be easy for Bella to deal with. When Edward had heard what she'd told Charlie it had seriously worried him.

"But even so, you shouldn't have done that. I'm a big girl Edward, you can't go doing things just because you think its best," Bella told him.

"I'm sorry," Edward said softly. "You're still new here and even with all you have been through I didn't want to overwhelm you with what's happening between us."

"You know?"

Bella took his silence as confirmation. He'd gone to Carlisle and discovered the answers they both wanted.

"Look you either start talking or I'm walking away," Bella warned, arms crossed over her chest.

"Carlisle told me what's happened. Why we feel this way," Edward confirmed.

"And?"

"And I wanted to give you a chance to get away from it, from me," Edward said.

Once again he had side stepped the question and Bella was getting more and more wound up.

"A chance to get away from something I don't know anything about?" Bella asked, her brows knitting together. "Are you insane?"

Since meeting Bella, Edward had been wondering that same thing on an almost daily basis.

"Why are you here? Now, then?" she asked.

"I had to make sure you were okay," Edward said.

"Yes because I am in so much danger here in this parking lot, how would I have ever made it home?"Bella said sarcastically.

"Bella, please..." Edward said running a hand through his hair. "I am only trying to help you."

"Then would you care to fill me in on it?"

Edward looked stricken. Since he'd been told what this was between him and Bella, he had been torn. Wanting to protect her and give her a chance at choosing her own path. To not have her believing that he was manipulating her.

"Edward," Bella said when he didn't respond. "What is going on? Tell me!"

"You... we are..." Edward couldn't find the right way to tell her.

"Just tell me!"

Bella had never seen a vampire struggle for anything like Edward was now. Under different circumstances Bella may have found this amusing, but not now though.

"You are my mate," Edward told her.

Edward watched as her entire body shifted from annoyed to angry and distrustful in mere seconds. She was coiling like a spring that was ready to explode at any moment.

"What?" she snapped.

"It's the mating bond, that's what we feel," Edward explained. "You are my mate and I am yours."

Bella stepped back from him, wanting to run but not being able to. She was physically unable to take even one step. She kept thinking that it was impossible and that he had to have it wrong.

"Bella..." Edward took a step.

"Don't!" Bella yelled raising her hand in warning.

"You wanted the truth, I'm telling you the truth," Edward said, keeping his voice soft and even.

"But..." Bella felt like she was losing it, that this was all some messed up dream. "I'm not a vampire."

"That doesn't seem to matter," Edward said.

Bella was more than a little confused. She was completely bewildered by this. They had just met and out of nowhere had these incredibly intense feelings? Didn't more have to happen for them to be mates?

Edward could see how distressed she was by all this and took a chance, closing the distance between them. She didn't move or outwardly react to him coming to stand right in front of her. He knew what a big shock this would be but perhaps her acceptance of what he was had caused him to underestimate it slightly.

"This is..."

Bella couldn't finish the sentence. Fortunately she didn't need to as Edward knew what she meant.

"I know what you mean. This is very ... overwhelming," Edward said.

Bella wanted to ask why he had kept this from her. Why he thought that he could do that? What mating actually meant for a vampire and a human. How things would change. Of course Bella didn't ask any of those questions, she was far too caught up in her own thoughts.

"I can't..." Bella raised her hands to her head, fingers running through her hair. "This is way too much."

Bella turned and stormed to her car. She had just opened the door when Edward grabbed the keys from her hand, stopping her. Turning her head she glared at him so darkly that he was actually taken aback for a moment.

"What are you-?"

"I'm not letting you drive when you're this upset," Edward told her firmly.

Bella raised her hands in mock surrender, deciding not to argue with him on this.

"I've driven with a stab wound but god forbid I drive whilst upset," Bella muttered to herself as she walked round to the passenger side.

She didn't see the look on his face when she said that. He'd been highly aware that over the last week she'd had an injury of some type. Coach Clapp had briefly thought of it as Bella's class had left the Gym and his had gone in. He'd even checked with Carlisle to see if she'd attended Forks Hospital but his father had found no record of it. As badly as he wanted to know what had happened, now was not the time to ask her.

Bella got in the car and once the door was shut, Edward got in the driver's side. As soon as she'd put her seat belt on the car started and he sped out of the parking lot.

-x-

Three minutes into the drive home and Bella wanted to ask why the hell Edward was driving like they were in some kind of action movie car chase. Only she'd decided as soon as she got in the car to not talk to him at all. She was pissed, confused and exhausted after the day.

Edward had them back in Forks in a fraction of the time it would have taken Bella to make the journey. As soon as the car pulled up out the front of the house, Bella was out the car and heading up to the house. Bella opened the front door and walked in, slamming it behind her.

"Bella?" Charlie called out.

In her anger, Bella had completely forgotten about Charlie. She wouldn't have slammed the door otherwise.

"Yeah."

Bella walked through to the living room where Charlie was and paused in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, just a long day," Bella said with a forced smile.

"How was your first appointment?" he asked with a little hesitance. "Was it, okay?"

"Yeah. The first couple of meetings is mostly just laying everything out and answering questions," Bella told him.

"It was alright?"

"It was fine," Bella said and paused. "I've got homework; I'm going to make a start on it."

"Okay." Charlie nodded.

He didn't want her to go off to her room but he also knew that she needed some time and space. Bella grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs.

Entering her room, she dropped her bag and walked towards her laptop to turn it on. She knew that Edward was sat on the edge of the window sill but she didn't look his way or acknowledge his presence. The laptop fired up and Bella slipped her shoes off, kicking them away. She was expecting to get a message from Lucas and was anxious about what it was going to say.

Turning towards her closest, Bella grabbed the bottom of her shirt and whipped it off, leaving her in just her bra and jeans. She heard a whoosh of air and knew that Edward had left the second she'd started undressing. She couldn't help smirking to herself.

Her anger had quickly been replaced by disbelief and confusion. She needed to think things over but right now her need to just be alone and ignore everything that had happened was too strong.

-x-

By the time Bella had done her homework, taken a shower and got into bed she was feeling a little better about her therapist appointment. Compared to what had happened afterwards with Edward, the first appointment had gone well.

She was leaning back against the cushions trying to read and relax but of course that didn't work. The words in the book weren't making any real sense; all she could think about was Edward. It didn't help that he was outside her bedroom window in the top of the tree.

"Edward..."

Bella waited, expecting him to come through the window. She waited and waited. Sighing, Bella threw the book down on the bed and leaned forward slightly.

"I promise not to take my clothes off," Bella called out.

A moment later Edward jumped through the window, landing silently on the rug. He looked rather unsure that he should be there and Bella found that rather endearing.

"Do you want to know what my, uh," Bella paused, running her hand through her long dark tresses. "When I came to Forks I had one rule to live by... don't have anything or anyone in your life that you can't walk away from like that!"

Bella clicked her fingers.

"That doesn't sound like an easy rule," Edward said

"It's the best thing for everyone. Especially those around me. Attachment can get you killed," Bella said, then added, "though that's not something you have to worry about."

"We can still lose things," Edward murmured half to himself. "Things that we care about."

"What do you care about?" Bella asked.

"You."

Bella shifted slightly, crossing her legs in a yoga style pose. She wasn't used to being told that others cared for her. Truly cared. Not for her money, or her connections, or her skills and influence. But for who she was as a person.

"Edward, I can't-"

Before the words came out of her mouth he was in front of her. The speed of his movements took her off guard. His proximity made her heart flutter and she could feel her breath hitching in her throat. She couldn't have spoken if she wanted to.

"You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever."

As he spoke, his fingers inched down the side of her neck making her shiver and gasp.

"I will do whatever it takes to earn your trust," Edward vowed.

She struggled to find words to respond as Edward leaned in and pressed soft kisses along the slender column of her neck. He pressed one then another, slowly moving up her neck at a pace that promised to drive her insane.

Another person, another girl may think that this was desperation on Edward's part. That he was worried she was going to refuse him and make him leave again so this was a last ditch attempt on his to try and convince her otherwise. To distract her from whatever concerns and worries were making her doubt that they could ever be something.

This wasn't a distraction. It was a seduction.

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to Doughnut.


	14. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

Many times during his hundred years, Edward had been convinced that he wasn't meant to be anything but alone. He'd watched his father and siblings find love but he'd never met anyone who'd piqued his interest. All the cities he'd been in, all the women he'd met and not one of those had been anything to him.

Until Bella.

His lips were soft and gentle as he pressed kiss after kiss against hers but their bodies were demanding more. They were lying together on the bed, facing each other and with every kiss or touch, his body shifted farther over hers so he was above her. He needed her in a way that he'd never needed anything before save blood.

At first he'd worried that his coolness would bother her but judging by the way her hands clutched him and constantly pulled him closer, she didn't mind it at all. The taste of her mouth thrilled him and he was eager to see if the rest of her body tasted just as sweet. She seemed more than happy to let him so his lips trailed down to her neck and collarbone, pausing just above the swell of her breasts.

Two weeks ago if anyone had told Edward that within such a small amount of time he would be casually reclining in bed with a beautiful young woman who was his mate, he would have thought they were insane. It was beyond anything he could have ever imagined; he was actually there with Bella and he couldn't believe it.

When the thirst for her blood became too much he had to stop and pull back slightly from her. Not move from her entirely but not have his mouth directly on her skin. So instead he settled beside her, still keeping his body flush against hers. Their hands were entwined and he was gently stroking the soft skin of each individual fingers.

"Are all of you this good?" Bella asked him, breathless. "Getting into the beds of helpless young girls?"

Edward chuckled, careful to keep quiet with her uncle being in the house. It wasn't easy though as she had a habit of surprising him with her questions. He was so happy that it was hard to remember other things like keeping quiet. Charlie was asleep on the same floor as them and the last thing Edward wanted was for him to discover what was occurring in his niece's bedroom.

"This is the first time I have ever been in a girl's bed," Edward admitted.

Bella raised an eyebrow, looking a little disbelieving. Maybe he just wasn't a fan of beds. Edward realised what she was thinking and had a strong need to dispel those thoughts.

"You are the only girls whose bed I've ever wanted to be in," Edward told her, his golden eyes begging her to believe him.

"You've ... never ..."

Bella couldn't believe it. He was a vampire and utterly gorgeous. He could have had any girl he desired and yet he'd never been with anyone? That made no sense. From what she'd seen at school alone, Bella knew that Edward had dozens of girls interested in him.

"When I kissed you, it was the first time that I've ever wanted to kiss anyone," Edward said. "I've never felt this way about someone. I couldn't even imagine it."

Bella felt relieved which took her aback a little. She hadn't realised how much she disliked the thought of Edward with anyone else. Though she was the same as him in that respect, she had never been attracted to anyone like she was with Edward or ever considered the prospect of a relationship before now.

"Neither have I," Bella said.

Both were glad they were on the same level experience wise. Edward hated the thought that any other male could have kissed her or touched her the way he had and wanted to. He wanted to be the only one to know her intimately as a man knew a woman. She was his mate and only he would know Bella in that way.

Edward realised where his thoughts were heading and where it could take them. The more he thought about her in that way, the more he wanted to act on those thoughts. It was too soon though to even think about anything like that. Kissing her was a dream he'd never dare hope for. He wouldn't risk the delicate relationship they had by asking for more, even if he was sure he had the bloodlust in check.

So he changed the subject.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"Sure."

"Why did you come here? To Forks?" Edward asked

"My family, what's left of us, has a lot of enemies. They got to someone I was at school with, a friend," Bella began to explain. "He started hurting people. Killing them."

Scott wasn't someone Bella had spent a lot of time thinking about. He was dead and there was nothing she could do now to change anything that had happened. Repressing unpleasant events weren't difficult for her to do though she suspected it would have been harder had she been the one to take Scott's life.

"Who are they?"

"Demons mostly but it's not always a demonic threat. There are people with abilities like me but who have a darker nature. Who are essentially evil but still human," Bella told him.

"Carlisle has studied demonic forces extensively but I've never seen one or met anyone who has," Edward said half fascinated and half horrified.

"Vampires are of no interest to demons or psychics," Bella told him, managing not to roll her eyes at the use of the word psychics.

"So you are a psychic."

Edward smiled slightly at getting her to put a name to what she was. He was already pretty sure that was the case but he was glad that she had said it herself.

"I hate that term. It's so nonspecific but I guess it works for this conversation," Bella said.

"You came here because it was dangerous to stay," Edward guessed and she nodded. "You were running from a friend."

"He's not my friend anymore."

Scott was dead but those who had corrupted him weren't and would still do anything to get hold of Bella. She was very aware of that and it was the reason for the lengths she went to for secrecy.

Opening up to Edward felt terrifyingly right for Bella. It felt natural and alien all at the same time. She was meant to trust Edward if he was her mate like he'd said so it would make sense that doing that felt easy and right. Given that, Bella decided to push forward and tell him a little more.

"It was a demon attack which killed my mother. She died protecting me," Bella told him.

"I'm so sorry."

Edward shifted closer and encircled her slender form with his arms, pulling her close. He wanted her to find comfort in him and to know that she was safe. She'd lost so much and if he could prevent her from feeling anymore pain then he would.

"Do you want to sleep?" Edward asked.

"No," Bella said with a laugh.

Suddenly Edward was hovering over her again, only this time he had effectively pinned her body with his own. He could see the surprise on her face and smiled before leaning down to kiss her. The contrast of his coolness and her heat was incredible and only heightened the amazing feeling of their kiss. It started out as a small sweet kiss but as soon as their lips met it grew, building swiftly as their hands gripped hold of each other.

Small light kisses wouldn't do anymore. Their bodies were screaming for each other after all the stopping and starting. Bella's fingers gripped his hair whilst one of his held her hip, keeping their bodies flush against each other. When his tongue brushed across her lips, she opened her mouth to him and he took great delight in exploring it.

Edward only pulled back when he realised that this may be getting a little much for her. The last thing he wanted to do was overwhelm her. He rested his head on the pillow beside hers and took a few deep, calming breathes.

"You taste so... sweet," Edward murmured.

He had a faint recollection of what sweetness was from his human life but Bella, she was definitely sweeter than anything he could have possibly tasted then.

Edward moved to lie beside her and pulled the covers up around her, not wanting her to be cold. She was as close to him as possible without their bodies touching. All the stopping and starting was driving them insane and they both wanted more. However they both knew that given the complexity of their still very new relationship, it would be far too soon to do more.

"Can I drive you to school tomorrow?" Edward asked.

"Are you sure?"

The attention surrounding Bella had only just lessened and she was surprised he wanted to be part of the thing which would send the gossip mill into overdrive again.

"I'm positive," Edward said with a grin. "You should try and sleep now, okay?"

"Okay."

Bella settled down and closed her eyes. It briefly entered her mind that she'd never be able to sleep with him beside her but almost immediately she drifted off.

-x-

As soon as Charlie had drive away in the police cruiser, Edward had pulled up outside in his own car. He'd left just before Charlie woke to return home and change. Instead of knocking on the door, he scaled the tree in a second and jumped through the window.

"I'm getting more used to you doing that," Bella said from where she stood by her dresser.

Edward was looking at something rather alarming though. The stitches in her arm from where she'd been slashed with a knife. Until now she'd been wearing long sleeves but she'd yet to put her sweater on over her tank top and they were clear to Edward.

"Your arm," he said, moving to her side.

"Its fine now," Bella said.

She went to grab her sweater but Edward grabbed her hand, keeping her where she was.

"What happened?"

The scent of her blood had been stronger and he knew that she'd had some kind of injury but Edward had no idea it was something like this. He'd thought that perhaps she'd nicked herself shaving or something like that. He also couldn't rule out that his thirst had heightened the aroma of her blood given the self enforced separation had had instigated between them. Had he spent more than an hour with her every couple of days he may have realised that her injuries were more than a minor injury like he had thought.

His intensity and demanding tone immediately made her put her guard up and made her feel rather defensive. It was just instinctive. She put those walls up again.

"I got cut," Bella answered.

"Cut? By a machete?"

Bella's eyes widened at his overdramatic behaviour and she pulled back from him.

"It was a knife actually," Bella said crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.

"A knife?"

Edward began pacing the floor. His mind was racing, going through any possible scenario that involved Bella being attacked by someone with a knife. Each one only made his anger grow and he was half imagining the bloody revenge he would deliver on whoever was responsible. Knowing that she had some injury was very different to knowing that she'd been deliberately hurt by someone else.

"Edward it's nothing, don't worry about me," Bella said with a smile. "I'm fine."

"When did this happen?" Edward asked not pausing in his pacing at all.

"A week ago," Bella answered.

She was very relieved that Edward hadn't realised it was more than one wound. His reaction while predictable was making her feel a little flustered.

"When you left town," Edward realised. "Where did you go?"

"I can't tell you," Bella said unconsciously shifting back from him.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"I did."

"No you said it was a knife, you didn't say how you came to be hurt," Edward said rubbing the nape of his neck.

"I am really trying to open up to you more but there are some things that I just cannot tell you. Please try and understand that," Bella half begged, biting down slightly on her lower lip.

Edward was silent for a moment. His need to know absolutely everything about her was in serious conflict with his desire to let her go at her own pace with this new relationship. After a lengthy pause he nodded and stopped pacing.

"You need to see a doctor," he told her suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Those stitches need to be removed," Edward said.

Forcing himself to focus on her wounded arm, he realised that he should have noticed it sooner. Her scent was so overwhelming when he was around her that he focused only on resisting it, not looking deeper into the different individual nuances of the scent.

-x-

Bella knew which battles to pick. So when Edward told her that he was taking her to the hospital so that his father could check her arm and remove the stitches, she agreed.

"So this is how I meet your father?" Bella asked as Edward shut the door on the exam room.

The nurse had escorted them to a private room with the promise that Dr Cullen would be with them any moment. The woman smiled at Edward, focusing entirely on him and barely acknowledging Bella.

"I didn't consider that," Edward admitted making her smile. "You should though, meet them. My family."

"I know most of them," Bella said leaning against the exam table.

"You've seen most of them," Edward clarified. "You've only spoken to Alice."

"She accosted me."

Bella wasn't sure if she was ready to properly meet Edward's family just yet. As his girlfriend or whatever it was that she was. Alice had been nice but that didn't mean everyone else would be. She was a human after all which complicated things immensely with his vampire family.

"Alice really wanted to meet you," Edward said.

"Why?" Bella asked.

Edward smiled. She couldn't see why people were interested in her. Why he was so fascinated by her and why certain members of his family would be too.

Truthfully Bella was anxious about meeting his father and not just because he was a vampire. Carlisle was clearly very important to Edward and someone that he held in high regard. Her anxiety was building rapidly. This was the first time she'd ever had to deal with something like this, with meeting a boyfriend's father.

_Boyfriend? That does not sound right._

It wasn't significant enough to describe the relationship between them in Bella's mind, but now wasn't the time to think about that. Edward saw she was anxious and took her hand, stroking the back with his thumb.

"At least you don't have to worry about meeting my family," Bella said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I'd love to be able to meet your family," Edward said softly with a warm smile.

Bella stopped breathing for a second. He could be so sweet and caring and it was incredibly sincere. Without a doubt Edward cared for her and that was what Bella found difficult to understand.

"What is it?" Edward asked, seeing her frowning.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Bella asked appearing genuinely confused. "You only just met me and you're being..."

"I'm being what?"

"Never mind."

Before Edward could object and press further, the door opened and Carlisle walked in. He smiled at his son and then at Bella. Instantly she forgot what they'd been talking about

"Hello," Carlisle said warmly.

"Bella this is Carlisle, my father," Edward told her. "Carlisle, this is Bella."

Even if she hadn't been told, Bella would have known who this was. Carlisle had the same pale skin, startling features and like his son was very good looking. He was young, blonde and definitely a vampire.

Clearly the two men were waiting for her to say something but in that moment words wouldn't work. She'd heard that Carlisle Cullen was the impressive doctor and she knew that he was a vampire but until right then in that room with them, those two facts hadn't quite gelled.

"Bella?" Edward asked.

"Doctor... and a vampire," Bella said softly.

Carlisle looked to Edward, one fine eyebrow arched slightly. Edward gently squeezed Bella's hand to reassure her.

"You really wanted to break the mould, didn't you?" she asked.

Carlisle laughed which made Edward smile. For a second they'd both worried that she was unhappy that the doctor planning to examine her was a vampire.

"It would seem so," Carlisle smiled and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

There was some small murmur from Edward that Bella didn't quite catch. She reached out and shook Carlisle's hand.

"You too Dr. Cullen," Bella said.

Carlisle grinned, glancing to Edward who also looked delighted at how well this was going. It was very important to Edward for two of the most significant people in his life to know each other. Carlisle and Bella both could see that.

"What brings you here?" Carlisle asked.

"Bella has stitches that need removing," Edward told him.

Carlisle gestured to the exam table and Bella sat up on it then rolled up her sleeve. Edward stayed right by her side which she didn't mind at all.

"May I?" Carlisle asked gesturing to her arm.

"Sure."

"I'm afraid that my hands may be a little cold," Carlisle said apologetically.

Bella just smiled and held her arm out to him. He held her arm lightly in his hands, shifting it slightly so he could look at the complete area. She seemed completely unafraid of being examined by a vampire.

-x-

Carlisle cleaned the area and carefully removed the stitches. He made Edward wait outside during that part despite there being little risk of blood. It was too risky in his opinion. After again cleaning her arm, he applied a bandage.

"While I'm here..." Bella said rather hesitantly.

She leaned back slightly and lifted her shirt. The second that Carlisle saw the black stitches that curved around her side from her abdomen, the door opened and Edward was back in.

"Edward!" Carlisle scolded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Edward asked moving back to her side.

"Because you freaked when you saw my arm," Bella said with a sigh. "I didn't want you to be more upset."

Edward mentally kicked himself. He didn't want her to keep things like this from him. She'd done it to protect him and whilst he loved her for that he never wanted it to happen again.

"Please don't do that again," Edward said.

"This was also done with a knife?" Carlisle enquired and she nodded. "I can tell that you received medical attention."

"Yes."

"A hospital would have reported a near stabbing," Carlisle said and Edward grimaced at the word stabbing.

"I didn't go to a hospital," Bella said.

"Then where?" Edward asked.

"A medical clinic in Olympia. A couple of hundred bucks and the guy was more than happy to look the other way. Gave me painkillers and a note to get me out of gym."

Bella smiled at that last part. She wondered how long she could stretch that out. She really hated gym.

"That was unwise," Edward told her.

"I couldn't go to a hospital and it was either that or patch it up myself. I chose the best option. My first aid skills are okay but this was a little out of my league," Bella said.

Carlisle could see that the thought of Bella being harmed was extremely hard for Edward to handle. His son had never had a relationship of this kind before and it was going to take some getting used to for him. Not only had he never had a romantic relationship before but he was embarking on one with a young woman who was human. A human who became involved in brutal fights and was completely un-phased by it.

That was a unique combination.

"Edward, she's okay. No infection has set in and the wound has healed well," Carlisle explained.

"See, I'm fine," Bella said looking pointedly at Edward.

"Edward if you wait outside, I'll remove these," Carlisle said making it clear that wasn't a suggestion.

Edward reluctantly left and Carlisle smiled apologetically to Bella. The family hadn't experience such a change in decades. Really it had been with Rosalie with Emmett the last time such a change occurred because Alice and Jasper had been together years when they found the Cullens.

"Your uncle knows nothing about your injuries," Carlisle correctly guessed and she nodded.

"It's better for him to be in the dark. He has enough to deal with at the moment," Bella said.

"He knows nothing?" Carlisle asked

"I don't think so," Bella said thoughtfully.

Honestly it was hard to tell. Bella had told him nothing and she couldn't imagine her father ever having shared anything once he'd left Forks and married. Still she wasn't someone to completely rule things out. Could Michael have shared a tid-bit with his brother after the death of his wife, in grief or anger? Bella couldn't say no with perfect confidence. It was something she'd considered weeks before and had finally decided to play it by ear. Charlie had given no indication that he was aware of anything supernatural so Bella said nothing.

Carlisle had removed the stitches and cleaned the area. He could tell it hadn't been a deep wound though he could tell it would have been greatly uncomfortable when it first happened. After covering it with a bandage, Carlisle gave Bella another note to get her out of gym. He was a slightly amused at how happy that made her.

-x-

The upside of an unplanned trip the hospital was that Edward and Bella missed the first lesson. Carlisle had given them a slip explaining where they were which they handed in at reception and headed to their second lessons which unfortunately weren't the same ones. It meant though that no one saw them arrive together in one car.

Edward wanted the students to know he and Bella were together. It might put off some of the boys and stop their obvious flirtations with her, Mike Newton in particular. That unpleasant little boy was with Bella in her English class and his were the thoughts most centred on the alluring newcomer so Edward spent his class listening to Mike's running commentary.

The next lesson was a study session which was run by various teachers depending on who drew the short straw. Bella had been accompanied to this by Jessica and Angela and they sat in the back row so that the teacher couldn't see them. They were right up by the window and it was the perfect hiding place.

"Last week I managed to do my lip liner, mascara and eye shadow all without Mrs Voss even noticing," Jessica said.

"Why would you want to do that in class?" Bella asked.

"Last period, saves time on getting ready," Jessica said as if it was the most important thing ever.

"Oh."

They settled in their seats at the teacher came in, telling them to do just that. Edward and Alice slipped in last, talking quietly to each other. Bella didn't notice them until they had sat down.

"I don't have any work to do," Bella said with a slight frown.

With her free lesson due to not taking a language, Bella had done all her homework. She was just going to be sat there doing nothing for the next fifty minutes.

"Then help me."

Jessica pushed a little make-up bag at Bella and slipped her shoes off her feet. Bella unzipped it to find it filled with little bottles of colourful nail varnish.

"You can do my toes!" Jessica smiled at her as if it was some great honour for her.

"Lucky me," Bella said and Angela smirked.

Bella leaned back on the stool and pulled Jessica's foot up onto her lap, on her jean clad legs. The other students opened books and started on any work they had to do.

"What colour?" Bella asked.

"Blue, the light one," Jessica directed.

Bella shook the bottle, glad to have something to focus on instead of just staring around aimlessly. Lauren turned around from the bench in front of them and smiled.

"Have you seen Edward Cullen today? He looks gorgeous!" Lauren said ignoring Bella and looking just at Jessica.

"When doesn't he?" Jessica said shaking her head.

"I've decided, he's going to be mine," Lauren said resolutely. "We've skirted around it too long. We belong together."

"You would be perfect together." Jessica told her seriously. "The ultimate 'It' couple!"

"I know, right!" Lauren grinned.

"You really think that he'll say yes this time?" Angela asked Lauren, half blurting it out.

Lauren had asked Edward out several times. Those times he had always rebuffed her, politely but firmly. Angela had witnessed the last two occasions, which was why she had blurted that out. Bella kicked her leg, trying to stop her but it was too late.

"And what would you know about this? Who was the last guy to ask you out?" Lauren sniped. "Oh right, there hasn't been one."

Angela didn't have a response. Bella briefly thought that she saw tears glinting in her friends eyes.

"I always thought it was better to wait," Bella said drawing attention away from Angela. "Wait for the right guy instead of chasing anyone. It can look kind of desperate."

Angela smiled and that smile turned into a grin. She covered it with her hand, looking away from Lauren who appeared about to explode with her anger. That only made Bella more amused and she was slightly tempted to push further and send Lauren right over the deep end. Only the buzzing of her cell phone in her pocket stopped her.

Bella got her phone and flipped it open.

"Zdravstvuj!" she said cheerily.

Her Russian greeting drew some strange looks from the others but she ignored them. It was Lucas and she was relieved she was in this lesson because she needed to take it. Thankfully the teacher remained oblivious to anything going on in the room.

"What did she just say?" Lauren asked looking confused.

"Yeah. Sure. Two minutes."

Bella put her phone back in her pocket and shifted Jessica's leg off of her lap. She peered over the top of heads towards the front of the classroom where the teacher was absorbed in some gossip magazine.

Getting up from her seat she headed over to the window, glad she hadn't removed her jacket in the first place. She walked over to stand by the window and pushed the sash up.

"Bella what are you doing?" Angela whispered looking half excited and half terrified.

"Got to go," Bella said with a smile. "Dasvidaniya."

With that Bella climbed out through the window with amazing ease and shut it behind her. She half waved at the girls through the window and took off towards the parking lot.

-x-

Lucas was waiting for Bella when she walked round the corner. He was leaning against his car and had his phone in his hand. She headed over walking purposely but not too quickly so as not to draw attention from anyone who may be looking outside.

"What are you doing here? This is my school," Bella hissed low.

She couldn't believe he actually had the nerve to come here, to her school where anyone could see them. Her relationship with him could be tricky to explain, especially to Charlie if word got back to him.

"I thought you might want these."

Lucas pulled two bulging folders from the backseat of his car and held them out to her. Her medical files, Etta's too.

"I do," she said taking them. "What took you so long?"

She'd been expecting him much sooner. He'd assured her that he would deliver the medical files as soon as he could.

"You are in a town that the world forgot. I drove past it twice on my way here." Lucas responded.

"Aww, can't the big city man cut it in a small place like Forks?" She smirked at him.

"Not at all. I just feel for the people of Forks having a newcomer with such a cutting tongue," Lucas said.

"I see what this is, you missed me."

Her tone was very playful and it was hard for him to work out if she was serious or not.

"You think you're the only one in my life?" Lucas asked.

"I don't see you traipsing across country for any other girls?" Bella said, arching an eyebrow.

"I got paid well for traipsing after you," he pointed out.

"Out of curiosity what did my grandmother pay you to be my own personal bodyguard?" she asked.

"More than enough."

"And did she pay you in advance? Pay you to keep following me after she died?" Bella asked.

"Ana didn't know she was going to be killed. I help you because it's the right thing to do," Lucas told her, jaw clenching.

"Coming from you, that's funny."

Her arms were crossed and she was looking at him almost in defiance. Bella didn't want him in Forks. It was far too close for her comfort. Her past and her present coming together wasn't something she wanted to ever happen. This was her territory and he wasn't the one in charge anymore.

"Can we get back to the point?" Lucas asked

"Certainly," Bella smiled with a little too much enthusiasm. "Why haven't you called me?"

"I was busy. It didn't turn out like I thought it would," Lucas answered, eyes on the ground.

"It never does," she sighed.

"How are things here? For you?" Lucas asked referring of course to since she'd got back.

"Fine," Bella shrugged her shoulders. "I had my first therapy appointment last night."

"Think it'll do any good?" he asked.

"A professional can't help me. I'm doing this for Charlie."

Lucas nodded slowly in response. He was thinking and the worry over it was clear on his face.

"What are you going to do with those?" Lucas asked nodding towards the folders in her hands.

"I don't know."

"If Charlie finds them," Lucas shook his head. "He's a cop and knows the procedures for gaining an involuntary psychiatric hold. Especially as you are still a minor."

"I know and I looked into the laws and mental health guidelines for this state before I came here."

The bell rang, signalling the end of lesson and people started to trudge out of the buildings for their next ones. Lucas's presence caused a lot of whispering and curious looks. A gorgeous older guy standing by a very flash car definitely garnered attention.

"You need to be careful," Lucas told her, his voice low but firm.

"You're worried about me?" Bella asked.

"I know you're on a knife's edge. Bella I know you and just because you can fool everyone around you, it doesn't mean that I can't see the truth. This is nothing, just an illusion," he waved at the school building, shaking his head slightly. "If things get any worse you need to be able to walk away. If Charlie discovers any of this you will have to leave town."

"I know that," Bella hissed.

"I can't risk having to take you from a medical facility."

Bella knew that if Charlie found her medical records or found out what had happened in her past and with Etta then he would start watching her a lot closer. Her behaviour would be heavily scrutinized and the worst case scenario could involve her being committed. As far as Charlie knew, Etta's death had been a tragic accident and Bella needed him to continue believing that.

"I know!"

"It would be too dangerous. Too many things could go wrong-"

"I am not Etta!" she spat venomously at him, eyes blazing with anger and hands fisted at her side.

Bella's body was shaking with anger and Lucas knew he'd gone too far. Going to her school and confronting her like this wasn't a good move on his part. Had there not been people around she would have slapped him but they were already receiving some looks.

Lucas's eyes stopped on a few people in particular and Bella glanced round to see Edward, Alice and Jasper watching. Edward was openly watching but at least Alice and Jasper were pretending to be talking to each other.

"Well done at keeping a low profile Luc," Bella murmured.

She forced herself to calm down. Edward and his family noticing them was one thing but she could not draw any more attention to herself than she already had.

"Do they think that they actually blend in?" Lucas asked her whilst keeping his eyes on the three vampires.

"Somehow they do," Bella shrugged.

Neither saw the way Jasper tensed at Lucas's comment. Lucas recognised them for what they truly were on sight. Bella acted like it was nothing in the hope that Lucas would think along the same lines. She didn't want to give him any more reasons to stick around.

"I should get to class," Bella said, trying to end the conversation.

"Drinks tonight?" Lucas asked before she turned away.

There were still things that had to be discussed and at her school was not the place to do it.

"Sure. Text me the address," Bella said.

If they had to talk she was going to do it in a place with copious amounts of alcohol. That way if he did piss her off again at least she wouldn't remember it the next day.

* * *

Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing. Each review means a lot to me.


	15. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

The bell rang signalling the start of lesson and Bella hurried in just after that. She smiled at Mr Banner, hoping he was in a good mood and wouldn't mind her slight tardiness. He merely nodded and gestured to her assigned seat.

As she hurried to her seat, she noticed that Edward was scowling rather severely at the desk. She sat down next to him and where as he'd normally greet her or at least acknowledge her presence, he didn't. This time though, Bella didn't have to wonder what caused this reaction.

"Are you seriously ignoring me?" Bella whispered.

"Yes."

His response made her smile and she looked at him, chuckling when she saw his own smile. Edward was finding his complex emotions even more complicated since seeing Bella talking with Lucas. Anyone looking at them could see that she had history with the newcomer and Edward had taken an instant dislike to him.

"Who was he?" Edward asked her, while keeping his eyes on the white board.

"A guy from New York. He worked for my grandmother," she told him, half covering her mouth with her hand.

"He's older than you."

Bella turned and stared at him in disbelief. She shook her head a little before looking back at the board.

_Was he trying to wind me up?_

"Are you really playing the age card? You?" Bella asked.

Edward stifled a laugh. She had a good point and he should have realised she'd hit back with that when he commented on Lucas's age. Despite his own age difference with Bella, he didn't like the fact that Lucas was older than her.

"This is so... unusual," he murmured.

"What is?"

Mr Banner continued with his lesson, oblivious to the conversation occurring between Bella and her mate.

"Feeling jealous," he admitted and her eyes widened a fraction.

"You're jealous?"

Bella had never considered that he would be jealous. She thought he'd dislike her frankness with Lucas; with Edward she kept a lot of things back. It was such a human emotion and she hadn't expected it from a vampire, least of all Edward. He did have a tendency to overreact, though.

"I'm jealous of any male that looks at you. Let alone talks with you."

The anger that Edward felt when he saw her talking with that man was unlike any he had experienced before. She was his mate, his girlfriend and he wasn't willing to share her, not with that man or anyone else. It could be called irrational but that was how he felt.

"Have you not seen yourself? Nearly every girl here wants you, most of them make no secret of that fact and yet you're the jealous one?" Bella shook her head.

"I don't want any of them. I want you."

"I feel the same," she whispered.

It was the first time that Bella had admitted she wanted to be with him in any proper, real way. Had they not been in the middle of a class, he would have shown her exactly what that meant to him. Instead he just reached over and covered her hand with his own. She turned her hand upwards and they laced their fingers together.

This conversation was nowhere near finished but this was not the place to have it. Edward would have to wait for a better time to share his concerns and part of him was glad. It would give him a chance to go over what he wanted to say. Hopefully by that point he wouldn't still have the urge to find and dismember Lucas.

-x-

Bella wasn't dressing as herself that night. The outfit she'd chosen was definitely nothing she would have worn in Forks. You couldn't wear a black, backless bodysuit which showed quite a lot of skin to the diner. Not unless you wanted to be the subject of gossip in the town for quite some time.

However she was going out to a night club and the goal was to gain attention, so she dressed to impress. Bella's curves, modest when compared to some of the girls in her year, were enhanced by the tailored fit of the body suit.

In the right clothes with the perfect make-up and hair style, Bella easily passed for twenty-one. So when she walked up to the door at the nightclub, the bouncer grinned and let her in, much to the annoyance of the half dozen scantily clad and half-inebriated women waiting in line.

"Have a good night," the bouncer said.

Bella smiled back. "I plan to."

The moment she entered, the deep thumping bass vibrated throughout her body. It distracted her from the rush of electricity that sparked through her when she got near anyone.

Outside she had been close to freezing but the heat coming off the mass of dancing, writhing and sweating bodies sent her temperature back up to normal. She deftly manoeuvred through the heaving crowds and headed towards the bar.

Eyes followed her from every direction. No one from Forks would recognise her with her porcelain skin, dark red lips, curled hair and dark eyes. She had become somebody else and that person belonged in a place like this. Reaching the bar she caught the eye of the bartender who smiled as he headed over to her.

"What can I get you?"

"Vodka. Straight up."

"Can you walk in those shoes?"

Bella turned her head and saw Lucas sat a few seats down from her. He smiled and moved over to stand beside her. His dark eyes scanned her from head to toe; he definitely liked what he saw.

The shoes were black and had a high heel. They were sexy of course but what made them unusual were the sleek black spiked diamonds which decorated them. They were over three thousand dollars and had been a gift from him.

"I can run, dance and I could kick your ass if needed," Bella smirked. She picked up her drink.

"You know, it's your fiery Russian nature that I have always liked about you," Lucas said with a sly smile.

He raised his glass to toast. Bella smiled and did the same. They both said Na zdrovie before drinking, a traditional Russian toast and knocked back the drink in one go.

"How was school?" He only just managed not to laugh as he spoke.

Bella laughed, shaking her head. Then she moved so quickly it stunned him. With one hand she'd pulled his head down, fingers curled around the back of his neck like she was going to kiss him. The cold hardness of the blade pressed against his throat.

"Come near my school again, I will cause you severe damage," she cooed.

The small blade in her hand was concealed perfectly. To anyone watching, they would look like they were any other couple whispering to each other and possibly sharing kisses.

Bella pulled back and smiled sweetly. The blade was gone. She picked up her drink then took a sip like nothing had happened. Lucas took a moment to compose himself. She was taking him by surprise more and more lately.

"Another?" Lucas asked.

-x-

By midnight it was becoming clear that there weren't any demons or other evils at the club in Port Angeles. She was pleased by that though she realised that part of her had been itching for a fight. She wanted some action.

Bella was standing by the railing on the upper level of the club, watching the people on the dance floor.

"Bored?"

A sandy haired guy holding a glass of Bourbon had joined her. He was good looking and oddly familiar. Bella was on her guard.

"Not in particular." She looked out to the dance floor.

"You're Bella, right?"

"Right."

"I'm Adam. We go to the same school," he told her.

Bella turned and studied him. She could have seen him around the school which would explain why he seemed familiar.

"I'm a senior," Adam said.

"Lucky you. Only a few months to go until graduation."

"I can't wait. Are you here with someone?"

"I don't date."

It was entirely true. Whatever it was between her and Edward, dating wasn't it.

"I won't offer to buy you a drink then," Adam said with a small smile.

"Wise," Lucas said walked over to them. "She doesn't play well with others."

"Oh," Adam said looking from Bella to Lucas and back. "Well, maybe see you around."

"Yeah."

Adam smiled and walked off. Bella looked at Lucas and arched her eyebrow.

"He's the first one who's got up the nerve to come and speak to you," Lucas said smirking.

"We go to the same school."

The packed crowds were making Bella feel a little foggy headed. More people meant more energy and all it took was for someone to brush by her to be hit by it like a wrecking ball.

"They have absinthe, if you're interested," Lucas said.

"After last time? No way." Bella shook her head.

The last time she'd drunk something with wormwood in it she'd gone on a massive trip. It started with a trip to a strip club and ended up with her floating around in the lake in Central Park wearing only a silk slip. At the time she'd thought it was a good time.

"How do you feel?" Lucas asked.

Bella knew he didn't mean in general. The whole point of getting her to go to the club was an experiment for him.

"It's building. They feed off each other's energy which amps them up more. That combined with the alcohol..." She shook her head. "It's a blanket of false euphoria in here."

"Can you pick out anything unusual?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, can you feel anything particular coming from anyone?" Lucas asked her. "You should be able to feel from their energy what their intentions are. What they're doing."

"Just from their intentions?" Bella frowned.

"Intentions, thoughts, wishes -they all reflect on the persons mind, their aura. You can feel that in someone's natural energy. If there is someone on here who is stalking... looking for a girl and they have less than honourable intentions, you should be able to pick them out of a crowd."

"If that's true then I should know who's hunting for people in the woods. I should feel it the second we meet."

"There could be two possibilities," Lucas said shrugging. "Either you haven't met the person responsible or..."

"Or?"

"They're so used to displaying a normal facade that a part of them truly believes they are just that. A normal person and not a killer. That can make it harder to see who they really are."

"Great."

Bella sighed, tucking a few lose curls behind her ear. This was getting more complex by the second.

"So I have to find the Jekyll to his Hyde," Bella said.

"Exactly."

That wasn't going to be the easiest thing in the world. Bella was fiercely private and the idea of digging around in someone else's life seemed terribly hypocritical to her.

"It's the best way to find out who is responsible," Lucas pointed out.

"I guess so."

-x-

Lucas drove Bella back when they left the club. She was a little restless and didn't want to risk her getting into trouble between Port Angeles and home. Even having had a few drinks, Lucas's skills at driving were better than most.

They didn't talk during the drive, both were thinking about different things. She was leaning back in the seat with her eyes closed, relaxing, something that was possible only being away from the crowds. She'd taken off her killer high heels and put her favourite comfy ankle boots on.

They were driving along the Olympic Highway. As they reached Lake Crescent, Bella began to feel it. The sensation built in a far corner of her mind and kept increasing.

"Can you turn that off?" Bella asked, waving towards the radio.

"Sure."

Lucas turned the radio off; it confirmed something unnerving for her. It wasn't static from the radio, it was whispering. An unpleasant whispering that scratched and clawed at the edge of her mind. A sickening feeling built in her stomach.

She groaned, leaning forward slightly in the seat as her head spun. Lucas looked at her in alarm and pulled the car over.

"Bella?" He asked.

She grasped the handle and she opened the door. She half fell out of the car onto the ground, groaning as she hit the dirt. The whispering had begun low but it was steadily getting louder, building in intensity. It was driving her crazy.

Lucas jumped out the car and ran round to help her. He squatted down beside her but didn't touch her, he knew better than that.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Where are we? Where... exactly?" Her fingers dug into the earth.

"We just reached Lake Crescent."

Bella closed her eyes for a second and then forced herself to get up. To pull it together and focus on what was happening. Her legs trembled as she got to her feet.

"Bella, talk to me," Lucas said his voice shaking with concern.

Her bare knees and legs were covered in dirt. Looking around she searched for anything that could explain the sickening sense of dread settling in her stomach.

"Is something here?" Lucas asked.

"I don't know," she said, voice trembling.

In her peripheral vision, Bella spied a blur of movement. Her brow furrowed. Had she imagined it? She couldn't take the risk so she ran towards the tree line as fast as her shaky legs could move.

"Bella? Wait up." Lucas ran after her.

"I saw something!" she yelled back putting on a rush of speed.

Bella was so glad she'd put her boots on. In the dark it was so much harder to traverse these woods than in day light. Low hanging branches and shrubs kept bashing her as she moved.

She was running as fast as she could, following something that was unknown to her. It wasn't the first time that she'd found herself doing this, or even the second. If Lucas was following she couldn't hear him behind her. That worried her. She actually _wanted_ to know that he was there, ready to back her up should anything happen.

The ground beneath her fell away. Flat ground turned into a decline and her feet went out from under her, causing her to fall and hit the hard slope. The force rendered her speechless. The slope was too steep—she couldn't prevent a fall. She made no sound as her body rolled down the rough uneven dirt, even when she smacked into a large jagged rock half concealed with fallen leaves.

It seemed to take an age for her to hit the bottom of the incline. She slammed into the ground, several feet away from the shore of Lake Crescent.

The ringing in her ears faded away and she started to become aware of her surroundings. As soon as she sat up, horrific pain gripped her, emanating from her lower body. She had no idea where Lucas was. She was already at the lake; she must have been running longer than she thought.

Her knee throbbed with pain as did her elbow. Her lower leg was stinging and even in the gloom; she could work out what had happened. She'd grazed her leg on the rock she'd hit.

The blood trickled down her leg and she bit down on her lower lip to stifle the whimper of pain. Her whole body was shaking with it. She forced herself not to panic. It was only then that she realised she wasn't alone.

A figure was standing by the edge of the water. She couldn't see them clearly enough to even work out of it was male or female.

Bella got to her feet, trying to ignore the burning pain in her lower leg and the protests from her knee. She struggled to stand. The figure still hadn't moved and she felt hesitant about approaching them. This wasn't the kind of place you just wandered upon and finding someone here was definitely unusual and a little unnerving. She limped over to them and her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Adam?" she asked.

He didn't respond to her voice or presence. Nervously she reached out and touched his shoulder. He didn't react. She gently shook him.

"You..." he said upon seeing her. "Bella, what are you doing here?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

Adam realised that she was as flustered as he was. He could remember walking there from the night club, but he couldn't remember why.

"Did... something bring you here? A feeling?" Bella asked him anxiously.

"Yes. A pulling feeling."

Adam exhaled, relief filled him and Bella felt that relief as well. It wasn't just her.

"Like I needed to be here." He added.

His eyes glazed over. He looked vacant, as if he had been disconnected from the world around him.

"Adam?"

When he flew at her, like a man possessed, she was shocked. Too shocked to react straight away. His hands locked around her sender neck in an iron like grip that cut off her air supply. Somehow his attack had rendered her incapable of fighting back. She had been caught off guard several times in the last five minutes and it was having a debilitating affect on her mental faculties. Or it could be the oxygen deprivation doing that.

Bella's hands scratched at his arms and she tried kicking her legs to dislodge him. Apparently she had forgotten everything she'd learnt about defending herself over the years. She hoped it was only a momentary lapse because she had to do something, quick.

Adam's eyes were darkening. She was afraid. She hadn't felt anything dark or bad from him at the bar.

Bella twisted her body, bucking and attempting to throw him off her. She was pulling at his hands. She was strong but he was stronger.

He slumped over her, unconscious. The remaining air was knocked out of her and she started spluttering. Lucas was standing by them, holding the tree branch that he'd just whacked over Adam's head. He grabbed Adam's shirt and pulled him off her, rolling his body aside.

"Fuck, Bella, are you okay?" Lucas asked.

"No."

It was a completely honest moment and took Lucas by surprise. He held out his hand and pulled her to her feet, helping to support her bad leg.

"What happened?"

"Something was controlling him. I saw it take over," Bella said her voice laced with pain.

Lucas looked around the forest, closing his eyes and reached out with his mind. He could feel what she'd told him before about this place. It was so real that he felt that he could reach out and touch it.

"This forest is fucked up, I can feel it," Lucas said.

"Why him?" Bella asked.

"Definitely wasn't random. Hundreds of people walk by that road," Lucas said.

Out of all those people, Bella needed to know: _why him_. It couldn't be because he'd spoken to her that evening. That was far too insignificant.

"We have to find out."

"What are you thinking?"

She was doing her best to concentrate on Lucas and what he was saying rather than the pain in her leg. She was used to ignoring pain but this was different. She was angry with herself. Angry that she'd once again been pulled in by this unknown force, this dark energy.

Lucas bent down beside Adam and slapped him round the face. Bella was about to demand an explanation but Adam blinked awake and looked around.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Who are you?" Lucas snapped.

He jerked the guy roughly to his feet by his jacket and slammed him against the trunk of the nearest tree. Bella was surprised by the anger in Lucas' actions. Neither had any idea who Adam really was or if he was even involved.

"What the fuck?" Adam looked from one to the other.

"Why are you here?" Bella tried to push Lucas away from the terrified teenager.

"I don't know," he yelled.

"Lucas, back off!"

Bella's thunderous command got through to him. He released his hold on Adam and stepped back.

"Adam, I need you to tell me who you are." Bella emphasised the words as she spoke.

"You know who I am. I told you," Adam answered.

"Why did you come here?" Lucas asked him. "Why did you come to the Lake tonight?"

"I don't know! I just... had to," he said, slumping against the trunk. "I didn't choose to come here. It just happened."

Bella sighed, shifting awkwardly on her injured leg. It sounded like what happened to her. Understanding dawned on her. Lucas recognised that look.

"Are you connected to this place? To these woods?" Bella asked him.

"What do you mean? Connected?" Adam frowned.

"Do you have a history with this place? Did anything bad happen to you here?" Lucas asked.

"No. We've always stayed away from here," Adam said.

Bella remembered then. Remembered what she'd been told her very first day in Forks by Jacob. _It's not really a place you should hang out. Weird things happening when you go in there, y'know. People get really creeped out._

"Is that the general consensus?" Lucas asked Bella.

"No one likes being near these woods. It seems everyone gets bad vibes or something," Bella answered.

"You two are really obsessed about these woods, huh," Adam raised an eyebrow.

"You just tried to kill her. I'd stop making smart ass comments if I were you," Lucas hissed.

Adam was floored. He turned to Bella and her expression confirmed it. Panic filled him and he realised that his earlier suspicions were true.

"You know."

"Know? Know what?" Bella was becoming more impatient with every passing minute.

Bella stared at him for a long moment. He knew more than she had initially suspected.

"People have been killed here," Bella told him.

If Bella was going to get to the bottom of all of this then she needed to trust him at least a little. They'd just met, yes, but something told Bella that he wasn't a bad person. She was relying on her instincts not to make things worse.

"I know," he responded. "I think my aunt was one of them."

"Your aunt?" Lucas asked.

Bella was reeling, her mind whirling. _Wendy Reeves, Amy Madden and Susan Cooper._

"Which one was she? Amy Madden or Susan Cooper?" Bella asked.

"Susan," Adam sighed, head down.

"I'm sorry," she said.

-x-

Lucas had assisted Bella back up to the road and she sat on the edge of the curb, trying not to wince at the pain in her knee and elbow. Adam sat down beside her.

"Maybe you should see a doctor, that looks nasty," Adam said.

"I can take care of it at home." She waved him off.

"You know about all this stuff, right?" he asked her. "The supernatural kind of stuff."

"You could say that."

"I need you to help me find out what happened to my aunt. I feel like these woods are at the centre of it," Adam told her. "I was meant to find you here tonight. You are meant to find me, I know it."

Adam was convinced. He believed in fate and he believed in the bond he felt between them. Tonight had only strengthened that belief for him.

Learning about Adam and who he was had rattled Bella. All the pieces of the puzzle were being revealed and all she had to do was put it together.

"Do you know about my aunt?" Adam asked.

"I've read about the disappearances," she answered. "I was looking into the history of the town and read about the girls that went missing."

"Looking into history or murders?"

Bella ran a hand through her hair, pulling it over her right shoulder. He was on a personal mission and she knew from experience that those could end badly.

"I can't guarantee you any answers," she told him.

"I get that."

"You sure? Because this could be a long and painful road that doesn't tell you anything about your aunt."

"No promises, I understand," Adam assured her.

"I'm not used to working with someone so..." Bella said.

"What about Lucas?" he asked.

Lucas was looking to see if he had a first aid kit in the back of his car. He still wasn't sure about Adam and Bella could predict some issues that could come up. Lucas trusted very few people and Adam suddenly becoming a part of this would have set off a few alarms for him.

"He is..."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No. He's a friend, I guess." Bella shrugged. "We've known each other forever."

Even after everything she was still unsure of exactly how to describe her relationship with Lucas. _Friend_ was the simplest word to describe what couldn't be explained to just anyone.

Lucas was talking to someone on the phone. Probably digging up everything he could on Adam and his family. She knew how he worked.

"They're all dead, aren't they?" Adam murmured.

Bella wouldn't have lied. Not to him or to anyone in this situation. Losing a member of your family, even one you'd never had the chance to meet was painful.

"Yes."

One of them was definitely dead and the chances of either of the others being alive were zero. Bella was sure that more bodies would be discovered in time.

"What was it tonight? Their spirits? Their ghosts?" Adam asked, eager for answers.

"No, I really don't think so," Bella said. "I believe that your aunt and the others died in these woods. Their deaths left ... a darkness."

"A darkness?"

"When people go into a place and get chills, think that a place is haunted, most of the time it's because something very bad has happened there. It literally taints the ground, the foundations, so that even years later that can still be felt," Bella explained.

"But I was brought here by..." Adam trailed off, unable to form what he wanted to say.

"Because you're connected. It's a family connection and as much darkness as there is here, I believe that its wants justice. For the bodies to be found and put to rest," Bella said sighing.

Since she'd discovered the body, Bella had wanted to tell someone. How could she explain her discovery of the body? She would sound insane. Also she couldn't trust that she would cover her tracks well enough not to be connected if she called it in anonymously.

"Cherry? Ready to go?" Lucas asked.

-x-

Bella got Lucas to drop Adam off at the end of his street before taking her home. Her earlier thoughts that Lucas wouldn't trust Adam at all were correct. She was tempted to ask if he trusted anyone because she was pretty sure it would be a no.

Once in Forks, Bella told Lucas to let her out and she walked home despite his protests. She'd probably regret it later but she didn't like the idea of having Lucas walk up to the house with her. It felt like she was walking forever but she finally got there. She headed straight up to the bathroom so she could tend to her leg.

Bella cleaned and dressed the wound. After changing into nightclothes, Bella grabbed the painkillers that she'd been given and shook several out onto her hand. She downed them without water and got into bed then pulled the covers up around her.

She's been scared when Adam attacked her. She'd underestimated what was out there in the forest and for a second she'd thought that it might kill her. Things were changing and quickly.

After turning off the lamp, Bella closed her eyes and tried to relax her body.

Her breath hitched...

Darkness fell...

The warmth on her face was something she'd missed. She opened her eyes and the familiar surroundings made Bella smile. Red roses, pink cherry blossom, magnificent trees and the swing seat she'd played on as a child. Even more than the sun she'd missed the garden of her childhood home.

Thirteen years ago half of the house had been destroyed and Bella hadn't set foot in the place since. As far as she knew the place was still boarded up. In her mind and her dreams, it was still perfect.

Bella's attire wasn't her own choice. Rather her subconscious has dressed her to please the person sitting beside her on the sun lounger. Her sister. Both were wearing fifties style swimsuits and heels, something Bella wouldn't have chosen herself.

"I've missed this, haven't you?" Etta grinned.

"Yes," Bella said with a warm smile.

Etta reached over and gripped her sister's hands tightly with her own. It had been far too long since she'd see her sister. Even like this.

"It's good to see you again Bella."

"You too."

Etta scanned their surroundings, taking in everything. The flowers in the borders; the grass lawn and the large oak tree at the bottom of the courtyard.

"Much prefer this setting."

A thought had been at the edge of her mind since she'd opened her eyes and found herself in this place, pushing and prodding, trying to make her realise what was going on.

Bella sighed, her hand coming up to her face. "This is... it's all in my mind, isn't it?"

"You're asking me this? Etta giggled.

Bella was sure this wasn't a hallucination, just a dream. A very lucid dream that felt more real than the events that evening. It was the memory palace and the thousands of details contained within that made this dream feel so real. Her memory of sitting in that very lounger, the smell of the flowers and freshly cut grass and the sound of her sisters laugh.

"Are you okay?" Bella whispered.

"I'm wonderful darling, I'm dead," Etta told her smiling. "You don't have to worry about me!"

In Bella's mind, Etta would be forever seventeen, the age she'd been when she died. For once, the sisters were the same age, and the resemblance between them was the strongest it had ever been.

"I'm losing my mind, aren't I?" Bella didn't really expect a response.

"You're asking the wrong girl."

Though Etta laughed, she was looking at her little sister very seriously when she spoke.

"You're not crazy ... believe me I would know," Etta insisted. "I'm the crazy one..."

"Etta..."

"_You're_ the strong one."

Bella shook her head in disagreement, "I'm not strong."

What had happened in New York had shaken her confidence and now with the stress of tonight's events she felt very lost and unsure of what to do next. She didn't feel strong or capable. She'd refused to think of Scott since the incident at the motel. If she thought about him then every negative thought concerning New York would enter her mind too.

"You are the strongest out of all of us. You always have been," Etta reminded her. "It's why grandmother taught you, raised you to be a strong woman."

"You both expect me to just fight, to never give up," Bella said shaking her head.

"You are not me. No matter what Lucas fears we are not so alike," Etta insisted.

Since Etta had killed herself, Lucas had been concerned that Bella could follow in her footsteps. The sisters were incredibly alike and not having her grandmother around anymore worried Lucas.

"You can do this Bella. I know you can, you just need to start believing in yourself. Everyone else does," Etta smiled.

* * *

A big thank you to Pagly for helping me with this chapter. She is amazing!


	16. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

* * *

A quick glance at her cell phone showed Bella that she still had three signal bars on the screen. She hadn't gone that far from the house yet but the last thing she wanted was to lose the signal mid conversation and risk Charlie coming to check up on her.

"I don't think its flu, I'm pretty sure it's a migraine. Yeah I tried to find the number to call the school but I couldn't even find the power cord to turn my laptop on."

Bella felt bad for lying to Charlie but it was her only option. She knew that he would find out if she skipped school so she took action and called her uncle asking him to phone with an excuse. Plus it wasn't a complete lie; she didn't feet great after the previous night and her head had been hurting when she woke up.

"No, don't worry. Some aspirin and sleep and I'll be fine." Bella was trying to ease his concern.

She paused for a second, deciding not to go on any further until she'd finished the call. Turning back round, Bella could just make out the faint shape of the house if she concentrated.

"Yeah. I will. Bye."

Bella hung up and put her phone in her pocket and took a deep breath before walking further into the woods. The second she'd woken up that morning she'd known what she needed to do. Skipping school was a necessity because it couldn't wait till Saturday and there was no way she was going to do this at night.

Bella knew that what she was doing could be considered reckless or stupid but it was what she had to do. She had to find a way of connecting with whatever darkness there was out there and not have it completely take over her.

If she could find a way to do that then she would. Bella was nothing if not determined. The first step once she reached her destination was to relax and try to meditate.

Bella knew when she reached the right spot. She sat down in the middle of the clearing she'd come to. It wasn't really a clearing in the traditional sense, just a small area without a lot of fallen branches and bushes. Walking to the middle of the space, she sat down. Her knee protested as she crossed her legs making her grimace.

Looking around her, Bella found no reason to be alarmed. It was fairly bright, the trees not grown together enough to block out the light. She saw no dark shadowy corners for anything to hide in. For once there wasn't even an unnatural foreboding sense to scare her.

None of that reassured her though.

Taking a deep breath, Bella closed her eyes and attempted to relax. Her body was on edge and she could hear every noise like it was amplified. She was aware of everything around her, the slight breeze in the air, the rustle of leaves, anything.

It wasn't easy trying to relax. She didn't want to sit there with her eyes closed; it seemed like a really stupid thing to do, given what had occurred before in those woods. However meditating with your eyes open just didn't work.

Her hands were on her knees and the ache in her left knee served as a reminder for what had happened the previous night. She'd taken painkillers and that had reduced most of the pain but not all of it. It hadn't been a long distance that she'd walked but evidently it was enough to aggravate her injured leg. Feeling that pain and still doing this seemed a little odd. In her experience pain always led to more pain.

Eyes shut, body still, Bella relaxed. Her breathing wasn't fast but measured and controlled.

It wasn't the fact that she felt safe or didn't believe there was a threat; she was making herself open up to this place, no matter what the danger or possible consequences. Bella needed to do something to find out what had happened in this place and Google wasn't giving her many answers. To find out what had caused this darkness to take such a strong hold, this was her only option.

At first all Bella could see the back of her eyelids and the only feeling she had was a cold butt from the damp forest floor. She sat like that for several minutes, although it felt a whole lot longer than it actually was.

Darkness turned into trees.

She was racing past trees at an incredible speed. Weaving in and out of the huge trunks like she'd been in this place her whole life. In mere seconds a huge expanse of ground had been covered.

Of course Bella wasn't moving. She hadn't moved an inch. She hadn't even left the clearing where she had sat down. She was seeing all this through someone else's eyes. Or something's.

They were moving with such intent that it was clear they were stalking something. Hunting whatever it was with dark intent. Goosebumps broke out across Bella's arms at that thought, raising her anxiety level significantly.

Bella opened her eyes. She had been expecting to see something nearing her, or at least moving around close to her. Coming towards her, to attack. When she didn't find anything, she closed her eyes again. She hoped it was just her paranoia working in overdrive.

Faster and faster she moved, heading toward some unknown destination. She felt in control but also completely at its mercy all at the same time. Her heart was racing and a feeling of true dread washed over her.

Then the forest started becoming familiar. It was an area that she had just passed through. During the few seconds it took her to realise that though, the remaining distance had been closed.

Bella saw a figure sat on the ground.

She was heading straight towards herself.

Bella opened her eyes and for a split second she only those black eyes staring back at her. The darkness in them was bottomless and chilled Bella to her very core. She screamed as it lunged toward her, feeling a horrific burning sensation scorch her arm.

Then there was nothing...

-x-

Opening her eyes, Bella saw a canopy of leaves and branches above her. It took her a second to realise that she was lying on her back in the middle of the forest.

That was the first thing Bella realised, the second thing was that her arm felt like it was on fire.

Looking down to where the pain emanated from, her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw four individual burns grouped close together. Four fingers burnt into her arm like a brand.

She couldn't remember it very clearly but she was pretty sure that was where she'd been grabbed before passing out. Whatever had found her hand burnt her arm just by touching it with their hand.

"Bella? Bella?"

Tears started to stream down her face without her even being aware that she was crying. That voice was so familiar to her but in her confusion and fear she couldn't be sure that it was real.

Something fell onto her cheek from above and Bella raised her hand to her face to see what it was. For a second she thought it was a drop of rain, until she looked at her finger and saw blood.

When she looked upwards another drop hit her face, then another and another. That's when panic set in. Both hands scrambled to wipe the blood off her face. Her breathing increased to a rapid rate and she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. She felt sick to her stomach. Tears built up in her eyes blurring her vision and she was close to hyperventilating.

"Bella?"

Hands gripped her wrists, trying to stop her, to force her to become still. His voice became more persistent and finally drew her back to reality.

The drops were gone from her face and only with that realisation did her breathing start to slow down.

"Bella are you okay?"

"Edward?"

"Yes it's me. I'm here." He hoped it would reassure her.

"What are you doing here?" Bella realised that he was out there in the forest with her.

"I came looking for you when I couldn't find you at the house," he explained. "I was worried about you."

Edward was knelt before her, trying not to show how concerned he was for her. Seeing her like this was a terrifyingly real reminder of just how vulnerable and human she really was.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I needed to be here," Bella said though in that moment she was struggling to remember exactly why.

"What possible reason could you have to be here?" he wondered out loud, not really expecting an answer.

Edward grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her up so she was standing before him. When she was standing, he could see the hand like burn that had been seared on to her arm. Instinctively he reached out and covered the area with his hand. She gasped but the coolness of his touch instantly lessened the pain and discomfort she was feeling.

"How?"

He was completely bemused and baffled as to how she could have acquired a burn like that.

"I don't know. I woke up and..." Bella shook her head and looked down at her arm.

"Woke up?"

The more Bella spoke, the more concerned Edward was becoming. It was like she'd been drugged and was beginning to come down from whatever affect the drugs had had on her.

"I blacked out. Something was here..."

Bella looked around, suddenly fearful and on guard. It made Edward worried and he closed the small distance between them, putting an arm around her.

"Nothing is going to hurt you. I promise."

When she rested her head against his chest, he was rendered speechless for a second. It felt utterly amazing and he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. The fact she was accepting comfort from him and not pulling away felt incredible.

"Let me take you home," Edward said.

-x-

Edward had never felt something this strange before. He was in the same room as Bella yet felt utterly removed and disconnected from her. He could have been on the other side of the country and felt closer to his mate. This was a very new and unsettling feeling for him. To be in the same room as her and yet feel a million worlds away was heartbreaking for him.

Bella had been silent on the way back. He'd half carried her most of the way. He'd noticed the way she limped slightly and he added that to the list of injuries he'd catalogued in his mind for her.

"Is there anything I can do?" Edward asked.

"No."

She'd changed clothes, choosing looser yoga pants and a tank top that was more comfortable with her knee and arm. The urge to crawl into her bed and never come out again was incredibly strong.

"Please don't shut me out Bella."

"I'm not doing it on purpose. I'm... so confused right now. I can't stand it."

Edward was beside her before she realised he moved at all. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he dared. Seeing her upset was more than he could stand, it caused him actual physical pain.

"What happened out there?" he asked, hoping desperately that she would tell him this time.

"I tried to connect with the dark energy in the forest."

"Why?"

"Because I have to know what happened out there. Three women vanished twenty five years ago and at least one of them is buried out there," Bella told him.

"There is?"

Clearly Edward was as clueless as the rest of the town as to what was going on in those woods.

"How do you know that?" Edward asked

"Because some kind of force took me out there and I dug the body up with my bare hands."

"It can do that? Force you out there and make you do that?"

Somehow he managed to contain the overwhelming rage that consumed him the second he pictured her in such a dangerous situation. Bella saw his jaw clench and he took a long, deep breath despite not needing it.

"Not just me."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"Someone else was pulled in by it. The nephew of one of the girls that went missing," Bella said.

"What happened to him?"

"He's fine now. I told him to avoid the woods." Bella decided to omit some details.

Everything that Edward was feeling was amplified by the mating bond between them and now was not the time to tell him that Adam had tried to kill her. There was no way the results of that could be anything but unpleasant.

"You shouldn't have gone back out there," he told her, his voice was low and grave.

"I can't just do nothing, Edward. If I find out what happened then it could lay them to rest and stop this."

"Do you think that would keep you safe?"

"Doing nothing won't."

"How do we find out what happened?" Edward asked and his question made her smile.

"We?"

Bella had never considered that he would be involved in this. That he would even want to. It was nothing to do with him, completely her own problem to deal with. The idea that he did want to help her made her feel ridiculously happy.

"Yes. We." He smiled almost playfully. "We are in this together sweetheart."

"I like that," she told him.

Bella surprised him by reaching up to touch his face, fingers caressing the perfect lines of his jaw and then the curves of his lips. Her movements were slow, sensual and she knew exactly what she was doing to him. This was a new kind of power to her and she revelled in it, feeling a thrill she'd never imagine existed.

It wasn't just having an extreme effect on Bella though. With every passing second it was becoming harder and harder for Edward to control the very real and very primal desires he was feeling.

When he kissed her, it was nothing like the kisses they'd shared before. It was desperate and hungry. When his arm encircled her waist, pulling her to him, she clung to him as insistent and needing as him. His fingers gripped her top so fiercely that his nails tore through the material, not that she noticed.

Bella's fingers curled around the nape of his neck as her mouth welcomed the firm strokes of his tongue. She shivered in delight when his hand snaked under her shirt to caress the skin beneath. His thumb brushed down over her ribs then down to her stomach, earning him a deep moan from the girl in his arms.

Edward grabbed her roughly, pulling her up and into his arms. His actions caught her by surprise, he'd never been this aggressive before but it wasn't unwelcome. He took three long strides to the bed where he lay her down carefully in the middle. Within a second his body covered hers and he kissed her again, cupping her face with his hands.

Staring down at her, Edward couldn't help grinning in delight at what he saw. Her normally porcelain white skin had a deliciously flushed appearance and her dark hair flowed around her head. Her darkened eyes stared back at him and he knew this was what he had been waiting for the last hundred or so years. His venom glistened on her swollen lips and it was without a doubt the sexiest thing he'd ever seen.

He held himself up above her on one hand; the other was running down her bare side towards her jeans. She lifted her hips, telling him that this was what she wanted. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her bare stomach then another further down.

They were wrapped up in their own little bubble. Oblivious to anything but the feel of the other on their own body. It was the most singular exquisite thing either had ever felt.

Then reality struck.

Edward pulled back a little and sighed when his cell phone started ringing. It brought them both out of it and back to awareness. He pulled it from his pocket and looked at the caller ID: Alice.

Despite wanting to do nothing more than ravish the girl beneath him, he could not just carry on knowing that his sister had something to say. She wouldn't be calling unless it was important. She knew that he was with Bella.

"Edward?"

"I need a moment." He gently, stroked her cheek.

"Okay."

In hindsight, maybe a few minutes to think and clear their heads wouldn't be the worst thing. He had been seconds away from undressing her and then god knows what would have happened. Bella didn't think that she had the self restraint to stop herself or him.

Edward vanished but the slight swoosh of the curtain indicated that he'd gone out the window. She sat up wondering what had caused his sudden change in behaviour. Who could have been calling and why? He seemed to know the latter before he left. Until the phone call, she had been the centre of his world.

Bella stood up and walked over to the window, her curiosity getting the better of her. Her knee was beginning to hurt again but she knew not moving it would just make it go stiff. Looking out the window, she saw Edward talking with someone. It wasn't clear right away to her who it was but when Edward took a step back, the other person moved into sight.

It was Alice.

It didn't look like the siblings were having a friendly little conversation down there. Edward wasn't happy, that was clear by his stony expression as he listened to the other vampire. Alice showing up really threw Bella, what was going on?

Adjusting her clothing into a less dishevelled state, Bella sat down on the bed and tried to clear her head. The terrifying events in the woods and then such an intense encounter with Edward had addled her brain. She looked down at her arm, Bella was glad to see that the burn hadn't blistered and looked better than she expected.

"Bella?"

Looking up, Bella saw Edward standing there by the window. He turned and shut it behind him before walking over to join her on the bed.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yes. Alice was just... needed to warn me about something," Edward looked a little uncomfortable.

"Warn you? About what?"

"Us."

"I don't understand," she said frowning.

"Alice needed to warn me what would happen if we were to continue our activities..." Edward told her and she realised.

"Oh," Bella said then added. "How did Alice know what we were doing? Did she see us?"

Bella did not like the idea of Alice watching her or them one little bit. It put her on edge and she knew she could not live like that.

"Not exactly. She can't really see you, its blurs and broken images to her but she saw the aftermath. It wasn't good," Edward explained.

"So we needed to stop," Bella said.

"Yes."

Edward hadn't felt too out of control but he knew that all it took was a second for everything to change. Bella was glad that any potential disaster had been avoided but at the same time, was disappointed they didn't get to continue. As unsure as she was about Alice and the visions she had, Edward seemed confident in them.

-x-

Edward left only when he heard Charlie returning in the cruiser. They'd managed to keep their hands to themselves apart from when Edward examined her burn again. Alice had brought him a little first aid kit so he could dress it for her before leaving.

Part of Bella wanted to ask him to stay with her that night. After the day she'd had, she didn't want to be alone. Charlie would be home that night but it wasn't the same as having Edward beside her as she slept. Bella knew though that they both needed space so she didn't say anything. Spending every second together wasn't the best way to start this relationship.

Bella prepared herself and went downstairs to see Charlie. She told him she was feeling better, that getting some more sleep had helped her and she would be fine for school the next day. They ate dinner together and Bella sat with him to watch a TV show before Bella headed up to bed.

Surprisingly, Bella slept rather well that night. She felt ready to go back to the circus that was High School when she got up that morning. Edward had agreed to meet her in the parking lot as she wanted to drive herself. Arriving together would be a very public announcement that they were a couple and she didn't know if she was ready for that.

Bella walked out the front door and was about to shut it when she noticed something. Laying half on the flower bed and half on the doorstep was a small black square. She bent down and picked it up, realizing it was Polaroid picture. When she turned it over, she froze.

The picture was of her.

It had been taken yesterday, when she was in the forest. She was half turned to the camera but her face was a little blurred. It was clear that it was her though. Her hand shook as she stared at it, a sickening feeling building from the pit of her stomach.

Bella opened her satchel bag and stuffed the photo in the zipped pocket, shutting the bag angrily. She refused to think about this right now. There was nothing she could do; she needed to go to school. However, the message was clear.

Someone was watching her.

-x-

When Bella drove into the car park of the high school, she still hadn't decided whether she would show Edward the Polaroid or not. There were good reasons for and against telling him and honestly, Bella was torn. Before she'd never really had anyone to tell if this kind of thing happened so decided whether to do that was very difficult.

Bella couldn't help but feel like she was being watched as drove down the road and got out of the car. She didn't include the dozens of other teenagers gawking at her like a new craze; she felt that she was being watched by someone... objectionable.

She was so preoccupied that she didn't even notice Edward walking over to her, at least not immediately. It was only when he took her face gently in his hands and kissed her so passionately that it made her knees feel like jelly that his presence truly registered.

Edward had wondered if she'd push him away and he was very pleased that she didn't. He wanted to show everyone there that Bella was his and he was hers. That no one else could possibly hold even a fraction of the desire that Bella held for him. Instead of pushing him away, she grasped the edge of his jacket and pulled him closer.

The two of them were oblivious to the gasps, the looks and whispers around them. Everyone was staring like they'd never seen two people kiss before. The only ones who didn't look shocked were Edward's siblings. Alice appeared giddy, Jasper confused and Rosalie was clearly furious.

When they parted, Edward smiled at her, in particular the surprised look in her eyes.

"What was that for?"

"I wanted to make something clear," he answered. "That you are the only one I want."

Bella frowned a little and glanced around. That was when she noticed Lauren and the murderous way she was staring at Edward and Bella. If looks could kill both of them would be dead.

"Ah."

"She was about to ask me to a movie," Edward explained and Bella laughed.

"Perhaps I should have warned you, though I thought you may have heard her plan yourself the other day."

"I do my best to block her toxicity out."

The bell rang and everyone started heading to class. Edward and Bella didn't move.

"How did you sleep?" Edward asked softly.

"Better than you."

"I'm serious Bella. Are you sure that you should be here?" His concern was clear in his voice and Bella couldn't help but like it.

"I have missed too much school. If I miss anymore then questions will start to be asked and I don't know how well I could answer them," Bella answered.

"I'll walk you to class," Edward said when he realised that arguing with her would get him nowhere.

-x-

Forks High may have been a small school but gossip spread like wild fire there. By the end of the first lesson, it seemed that everyone knew that the newest student had snagged the elusive and highly desirable Edward Cullen.

It was rather annoying to constantly have someone staring at you or whispering about you, not even trying to be quiet or subtle about it. Especially when those people were sitting and chatting almost directly behind you in the class room.

The next day wasn't much better. It seemed that everyone was waiting for another public display of affection from the couple. The expectation made Bella and Edward determined not to give them anything. While in sight they made sure not to even brush hands, rather waiting until they were alone to steal kisses.

It was much harder for Edward to ignore those around them as he could hear all of their thoughts. He heard the envy of the girls, Lauren and Jessica especially and their hateful thoughts towards Bella. Mostly though he heard the ramped up fantasies of the males in the vicinity who seemed to think that as Bella had a boyfriend now she was nothing but a sexual being to be lusted after.

Edward did his best to not let on about his feelings as he didn't want Bella to know exactly what her classmates were thinking. At lunch they sat together at a table away from everyone else, talking quietly and ignoring the rest of the word.

Bella did her best to focus just on Edward and school. Not on whoever had sent her that photo. It was impossible to work out if that person was still watching her when nearly the entire student body was watching. She'd look up and find two or three people turning away, pretending they hadn't been spying.

Bella knew it wasn't anywhere near over though. Leaving the Polaroid was just the first step; sooner or later they would take the next one.

* * *

A/N: I hope to get another chapter up before then but if not, Happy Birthday Sara! You're amazing and i'm so glad we're friends!

Dooba is my brilliant pre reader and hoping the plot bunnehs i give her will aid Torn!


	17. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Violence, peril and threat.

* * *

Friday afternoon Bella was sat in the library during what was everyone else's Spanish lesson. She was catching up on a few Trig questions and planning to go over an essay for English. There wasn't really anyone else about, only a few students in the adjoining computer lab.

Focusing on school work was a good way for her to keep herself from thinking about other things. Like the Polaroid photo and who could have left it. Dwelling on it would only make her paranoid. She may be good at trying to work out mysteries and putting herself squarely in the middle of danger but when it came to self evaluation and therapy, that was where she struggled.

Not that she wasn't pretty damn paranoid already but so far in life she had a damn good reason to be. She was very cautious and always on guard but if she hadn't been like that then she would be dead. Even now when it seemed like she was absorbed in mathematics work, she knew that someone was approaching her.

Adam sat down across from her like they were old friends who did this every day. This was the first time in a couple of days that Bella had seen him and was surprised that he'd sought her out like this. For a few moments, Bella just stared at him and he stared back.

"What's the plan?" Adam asked.

"The plan?"

"For finding out what's going on? What's the plan, what do we do?" he asked, drumming his hands on the table.

"We?" Bella asked flatly.

"Yeah."

"There is no we," Bella said firmly. "This isn't a team endeavour. I work by myself."

This wasn't something that Bella had considered. After everything she'd been through she wouldn't have ever thought someone would want to willingly be involved in this.

"What about Lucas?" Adam asked.

"Lucas is a resource that I choose very carefully if and when to use," Bella answered.

"And your boyfriend, is he-?"

Bella sighed. Of course he knew about that. Everyone knew about that. She'd half expected Charlie to have found out by now but thankfully he didn't seem to as he hadn't mentioned anything.

"Knows nothing about this and it's going to stay that well," Bella lied seamlessly. "The more people who know, the more dangerous this is. It's vital you don't tell anyone."

"I don't want to tell people, I want to help," Adam told her.

"That's not possible," Bella said firmly. "If I find out anything I'll let you know but really, I work best alone."

"You're giving me the brush off."

Bella smiled wryly. "Trying to."

"I'm not used to getting that from girls I'm not even hitting on."

"I'm sure you'll get over it."

"So I go back to living my life pretending that I don't know anything about anything," he said with a shrug.

"Pretty much."

"I can't do that. I can't just pretend I don't know," Adam said. "How do you expect me to do that?"

Bella wondered how he would feel if he knew that he'd attempted to kill her. If he remembered wrapping his hands around her neck and trying to choke the life from her, would he still want to be involved?

"Because there is no other option. You continue with your life and try to put this behind you. You're lucky, you have that option," Bella said shaking her head.

"You don't?" Adam asked.

"I don't get to forget all this and have high school be the big thing in my life. Whatever that is out there, it won't just let me be," Bella said.

Adam looked stunned. He'd never considered that about her and he realised that she was right, he was lucky. As exciting as that night had been for him, he wouldn't want that to be everything for him.

"I had no idea," he said.

"I will do my best to find out what happened to your aunt, but you should stay out of this," Bella advised.

Adam nodded before getting up and leaving. He appeared to have a lot to think about. As he walked away from the table she was sat at, Edward came in. He glanced at Adam but his attention was mainly on Bella.

Bella couldn't help smiling when she saw him. Just being in his presence could make her feel so much better. She was reminded of why she'd come to this town, the promise of a new start. Edward was definitely part of the new life she wanted.

"I thought you were in Spanish," Bella said as he sat down next to her.

"I asked for independent study," Edward said with a smile. "Is everything okay?"

"You get what that was about?"

Bella gestured towards where Adam had walked off to as he left the library. Edward looked back to him and concentrated for a moment.

"He wants to know about his aunt but you seem to have scared him off," he explained.

"Good."

Bella was pleased to hear that. Worrying about Adam was not what she needed, now or at all. Edward got his work book out but didn't bother opening it. Instead he leaned in and kissed her softly, resisting the urge to just lay her out on the table and take her there.

"I have something to ask you," Edward said.

"Okay."

"There's going to be a storm tonight and my family is going to play baseball. Would you like to join us?"

His question caught her completely off guard. She knew that it was coming; sooner or later he would want her to meet his family. For her to get to know them as he was getting to know her.

"You want me to..." Bella frowned and stopped. "You want me to meet your family."

"Yes."

"Edward... I do want to meet your family. I just don't think that I'm ready to yet."

Family wasn't something that Bella did well. She hadn't had one growing up and being faced with Edward's, that seemed as normal if not more so than any human family was a little overwhelming.

"Then you don't have to meet them today."

It was important to Edward for her to meet them, but not straight away if the thought made her uneasy. Alice may be desperate to begin her friendship with Bella and Esme very much wanted to meet the girl who had captured her son's heart but both would have to wait.

"Are you sure?" Bella asked.

"There's no rush and by today's standards perhaps it is a little soon to be asking you to do this." Edward smiled.

"I have met your father," she pointed out.

"You have."

Edward wanted to tell her how much he wished she still had her family for him to meet. That he would love to meet her mother and grandmother who from what he could tell had been two very strong women who influenced Bella greatly.

From what he knew of her uncle, Charlie was a good man and did his best protecting Forks. Edward had never heard a bad thought against the man during his time there.

"Go and play baseball with them. Have fun and I will catch up on my reading."

"Okay."

"Wait, why do you want to play baseball during a thunderstorm?"

"Ah," he smiled. "The storm won't reach where we'll play but the noise provides necessary cover."

"Cover?"

"We have known to be fairly noisy. It's not a normal game of baseball, I assure you."

"Okay."

"I'll come and see you afterwards," he promised.

"A whole weekend together? Whatever will we do?" Bella asked with a playful smile.

"I'm sure we'll think of something."

Within a fraction of a second he had pulled her off her chair and into his arms, his hand slid below her sweater, thumb stroking her soft skin as his tongue explored her soft, sweet mouth. Having spent the last couple of days with her nearly constantly, he'd become practically addicted to the taste of her and he knew it was something he would never tire off.

-x-

Charlie was at home when Bella got back from school which was a little unusual. She was wondering if he'd decided to start the weekend early when she walked in the kitchen.

"Hey," she said taking her jacket off.

"There's going to be a bad storm tonight Bella, I want you to stay in, alright?" Charlie explained.

"Yeah. No problem, I was going to anyway," Bella said nodding.

While the storm may be an excuse for sports with the Cullens, it didn't seem that everyone else shared their enthusiasm. Bella enjoyed watching lightning storms from a safe distance but the heavy rain was always unpleasant whether you were out in it or hearing pound down on your roof.

"I'm going to go help with the sandbags. In heavy rain the banks could burst and there are several houses at risk of flooding," Charlie told her as he organized his gear.

"Do you need help?"

"No, we're fine. Make sure all the windows are closed and you may want to keep the curtains drawn. I heard there's going to be lightning," Charlie said.

"I'll be fine."

Charlie smiled faintly and nodded. He knew adults who became agitated during storms and he didn't want Bella to feel that he was leaving her to help others over his own niece.

"You didn't have plans for a Friday night?" Charlie asked as an afterthought.

"Some people were going to the cinema but the movies playing are almost a year old," Bella said.

"Yeah," Charlie said with a grimace. "We don't get the big releases."

"I'm not a movie person." Bella shrugged.

The last thing Bella wanted to do was go sit in a dark room with half a dozen of the kids in her class. Especially as she knew they would be grilling her for information on Edward.

"You won't be bored?"

"You need to stop worrying about me, I'm fine," Bella told him with a smile. "I enjoy my own company."

"I'm beginning to realise that," Charlie said.

Bella walked to the fridge to get a drink then grabbed a bag of Cheetos, pop tarts and a box of cookies. She didn't know if it was the building electricity from the approaching storm or the effect of being apart from Edward and knowing they would be spending the evening apart but she'd felt a little off since leaving school.

Normally she'd go running, even if it was only a quick job before the storm hit but her knee still felt off and she didn't want to set it back by doing too much. That meant all she could do was go upstairs, put on some music and hope to relax.

Bella said good night to Charlie who was about to leave and headed upstairs to her room. She put her snacks down on the desk and a feeling of lethargy came over her. Her feet ached, legs felt weary and it was all she could do to make it to her bed.

Her head hit the pillow and she was asleep.

-x-

_Am I awake?_

In the two minutes since Bella opened her eyes, she asked herself that question several times.

When she got out of bed she felt the floor beneath her and could hear the storm raging outside but that was no guarantee that she was awake. She'd known the storm was coming and her mind had tricked her before with simpler things.

Her body tingled and she felt completely uncomfortable in her own skin which was a rather strange sensation. Again though, that feeling wasn't confined to sleep or wakefulness.

Walking to the door, Bella heard something. Normally she would have instantly been cautious and on her guard. Unfortunately given her current state she was wondering if she'd imagined it.

_Am I awake?_

In the doorway, Bella shook her head, trying to bring herself out of this strange state. She needed to clear her head of this fog and do it as quickly as possible. With that thought in mind, she walked to the bathroom and flicked the light on.

That split second always made her heart lurch. Knowing that whatever was ever hidden in the shadows and darkness was about to be revealed and she would have to deal with whatever it was.

The light came on. Nothing was there. The bathroom was fine. Finding nothing unusual, she went to the sink and ran the water. Splashing water on her face did go some way to refresh her but it didn't completely dispel the haziness.

Then Bella heard it again. She was pretty sure she wasn't dreaming, almost nearly sure.

Bella moved down the stairs very slowly. Every movement she made was slow and cautious. Her skin was still tingling which made no sense to her; she wasn't out by the forest but she had that same feeling of danger. She felt her chest constrict with every breath she took. Every fibre of her being was screaming that something was wrong.

Her eyes closed for a moment and she tried to get a hold on herself. She was beginning to get angry with herself for letting this get such a hold on her. She'd had messed up dreams before and with this it was taking over everything to a point where she was unable to even reach out with her mind and check that she was safe in her own house.

Bella flicked the light switch on the wall. Nothing happened. She flicked it off then back on. Still no light came on. She almost swore but stopped herself before she made any noise.

The lower level of the house was in complete darkness and for some reason that made her feel more on edge. She had never been scared of the dark before, even as a child. In that moment though, for some unknown reason, all she wanted was light. This darkness could hide anything.

Once again she willed herself to get a grip.

With a determined focus, Bella walked towards the kitchen. Just as she turned the corner she knew that was a mistake. Possibly the last mistake she'd ever make.

As she turned the corner, she registered that someone was hiding there ... no waiting. Undoubtedly, waiting for her. She was almost certain that it wasn't a supernatural threat, but a human one and she knew their intentions were bad. Humans weren't a threat she was used to and she felt more unease with this than if it had been a demon.

A glint of light then nothing...

The figure was gone and she was left standing there feeling ... damp. Glancing down she realised that something was on her top. Her hand went to touch the material and she felt it on her fingers, liquid.

Blood.

A dull throb was the first thing she felt but it quickly grew and she heard her breathing becoming more severe and laboured. The throb began to grow in intensity very quickly ... within seconds she was in a great amount of pain.

Then a floating sensation overtook her as she became lightheaded and she drifted into unconsciousness.

-x-

The pain.

That was the first thing Bella was aware of on any real level but for once she didn't mind it. Pain meant she was alive. Pain meant she wasn't dead yet. She was leaving the darkness and returning to reality. For once she welcomed leaving the protection of her mind and back to where she was real.

Her eyes opened and she shook off the haze to try and make sense of her surroundings. It was dark and it took a second for her eyes to adjust to the gloom but soon enough she realised she was still in the house. She was lying on the floor, where she'd fallen.

As soon as Bella moved though agonising pain shot through her abdomen reminding her of the wound. She bit down on her lip to stop herself from crying out. Tears welled up in her eyes and she struggled to breath normally given the pain she was in.

Pressing her hand against the wound to halt the bleeding, Bella gritted her teeth and rolled on to her side, using her free arm to get up on her knees and look around. The lights were still out and the rain hammering down outside made Bella feel that she was in a horror film. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and she knew that the main force of the storm was approaching quickly.

The house was deathly quiet.

Bella had no idea who else was in the house with her. Had Charlie come back? Had he been attacked as well? She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious but she had a feeling that it hadn't been too long. Hopefully Charlie was still out helping with the flood defences. He may be a cop but he wasn't expecting an attack in his own home.

Someone with a knife in the dark wouldn't give him the chance to draw his gun and fire if confronted. Bella didn't want that to happen. She'd much rather face this alone than pull him into this.

It took a great deal of effort, but Bella got to her knees slowly and then stood up. She needed to stay on her feet and keep her eyes open, especially in the dark. Whoever had stabbed her could still be there and of course there could always be more than one.

One arm braced the wall as she moved silently to the kitchen. Careful, cautious steps just in case there was anything to block her way in the gloominess. She didn't need to trip up and do herself any more damage.

The closer she got to the room the more one edge she felt, the more her heart raced.

She wasn't going to be caught off guard again.

Her hand reached out and she flicked the switch on the wall. What the hell, it was worth a try. The light flickered on but she didn't have the chance to feel relieved.

Bella's arm shot out as a dark figure lunged at her. It had been in a blur of light and blood that the man registered to her but one glimpse was all that Bella needed to respond.

She grabbed his wrist, stopping the blade inches from her throat and kicked him. Wrenching hard, Bella smacked his arm against the side of the door and the impact made him drop the knife. With his hand now free, he tried to grab her but she twisted him round and slammed him into the wall.

The man's arm reared back and he elbowed her hard in the stomach. She cried out, her hand going to her stomach as the blinding pain shot through her. The pain was extreme and unlike anything she'd ever felt before. She thought she was going to black out from it.

His large hand found her throat and she was slammed back on to something solid. The kitchen table she realised. He pinned her to it with all his strength. It was only then that she clearly saw his face.

Joe Mallory.

Her arm flailed wildly, reaching out for anything that she could use as a weapon while her other one tried to pry his hand from her. It was pointless to try though, he was stronger than her.

"You look surprised," he said with a smirk. "You didn't realise I was watching you."

The way that Joe spoke made Bella sure that it wasn't just yesterday he had been watching her. She had been so focused on a supernatural threat that she'd missed the human one.

It all fell into place and she could see the truth...

"It's you..." Bella gasped. "You killed all those people?"

His laugh chilled her to the bone. He seemed to take great delight in finally being recognised as the one responsible for it. Evidently as much as he'd needed to conceal what he'd done, doing so had created a lot of anger. To be free of that would be liberating for him and he was going to enjoy every moment of it.

One of his hands loosened and he pulled his phone from his pocket. After pressing a couple of buttons, horrific screams filled the room. He turned the phone round to show Bella the video playing.

Bella closed her eyes almost immediately but she'd already seen a glimpse of the screen. A young blonde girl, looking absolutely terrified was being brutally hacked at with a knife. Bile rose in Bella's throat and she was forced to swallow it.

"You video them?" Bella spat.

"Just the girls. I don't care about the men, they were collateral," Joe informed her.

"Sick bastard!"

"Oh I'm many things Miss Levitan but sick is not one of them. I am rather sane."

The way he was looking at her made her feel sick. She'd never come across a human so clearly insane and capable of such evil. Bella knew she had to do something and fast. She wrenched one hand free and reached around her. She grabbed something solid and smashed it over his head.

The solid item turned out to be a mostly empty bottle and that did the job. The impact fazed him enough that he loosened his grip and she pushed against him as hard as she could. As soon as she was able to, her leg shot out kicking him hard and causing him to stagger back against the wall.

Bella then moved as quickly as she could. She ran for the door but Joe grabbed her by the hair, pushed her forward and rammed her down on the coffee table. She smashed through it, crying out at the bone shaking force that besieged her body. As soon as she'd hit the ground, he kicked her hard repeatedly.

Her body twisted, Bella kicked out and her foot connected with the back of his knee, immediately flooring him. She pulled herself to her feet, despite that being the last thing she wanted to do. It was the worst pain she'd ever been in and Bella knew that she could very easily be killed at any moment. As soon as she'd got to her feet, Mallory grabbed her legs and pulled her back down hard.

Bella kicked out several times and the third kick impacted with his face. He screamed, releasing her ankle and she got up again as fast as she could. She was aware that her wound was bleeding rather heavily but she couldn't stop to worry about that.

She ran to where the knife had fallen, ignoring the screaming protests her body made as she bent down to grab it. As she turned round she gasped as she came face to face with the man and acted on instinct.

Without thought she rammed the knife into his chest.

For a moment, everything was still and silent. They stood facing each other, barely any space between them. The knife protruded from his chest. Then he started laughing.

Bella stepped back, terror coiling in her stomach. She watched in horror as he raised his hand and pulled the knife from his chest like it was nothing. Blood began dripping from the wound but it didn't seem to register with him at all.

Suddenly he smacked Bella round the face so hard she was sent flying back and smashed into the side table. The few items atop it were knocked off along with her body and crashed to the floor just like she did.

Pain gripped her entire body and she groaned slightly. Her arm was tingling and she could hear a ringing sensation in her ears. Everything told her not to, but she opened her eyes.

Joe Mallory was approaching her, the knife in his hand. His movements were staggered, he was in pain and while he struggled to walk he was still moving towards her. Her heart was hammering, she could hear the blood rushing in her ears and she could taste a coppery tang in her mouth.

A bang filled the room.

Then everything was still again.

A different kind of stillness though. It was then she felt herself slipping ... then she drifted into nothing.


	18. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**Peninsula Daily News**

**Online**

Saturday 22nd April

**KILLER UNMASKED**

The residents in the small town of Forks, Washington are still reeling after learning that a well respected local business man is the apparent perpetrator of the most violent crimes ever committed on record in this normally peaceful community.

For the last several weeks the rainy town and surrounding areas had lived under constant threat following the disappearances of several young men and woman. Only one body had been discovered and the police had no leads until now.

The man was identified as the responsible party after breaking into the Chief of Police's house and being discovered upon his return home. The suspect's motives for the actions which ultimately led to him being unmasked are currently unknown but sources tell us there is one other victim to add to what had been an ever growing list.

It is believed that the man was able to carry out these crimes due to the fact he supposedly spent weekdays in a Port Angeles apartment so he could focus on work. However this reporter has discovered that he hasn't handled a case in months and co-workers were becoming concerned about his increasingly bizarre and erratic behaviour. This allowed him to spend his time hunting and butchering young men and women in the nearby Olympic National Park.

The suspected murderer is currently in critical condition in Forks General Hospital ICU after being shot by Chief Charles Swan who had been helping to lead the investigation. While it is not yet known what transpired it is believed that a young relative of the Chief's may be involved.

[Read More]


	19. Chapter 17

A/N: I own nothing.

* * *

Waking up in a strange bed was always disorientating for Bella. Especially when that bed was in a hospital room and she was connected to numerous machines, monitors and an IV which were monitoring everything from vitals to heart rate.

Raising her head from the pillow, Bella scanned the room and found that she was alone. That was the best part of it. Not realising she was alive and in one piece but finding that didn't have a roommate or someone she would have to make small talk with. It had happened before and was not pleasant.

She hated hospitals, despised them and being in one was making her feel more than a little distressed. The more she thought and was awake the worse she felt. Memories from her last stays started to creep in and the annoying machine next to the bed told of her increasing heart rate.

She pulled the breathing tube away from her nose immediately and then the cannula from her hand. The sting made her wince. It surprised her that it even registered given what she'd been through.

'What are you doing?'

Bella had been kicking the blankets loose when she heard that familiar voice. She looked over toward the small window and saw Etta standing there, half looking out at the rain.

"Leaving. Escaping. Fleeing. Skedaddling," Bella murmured.

'I tried that. I didn't get far.'

Bella decided not to mention that was because Etta was a patient on a secure ward. Slowly she sat up, gritting her teeth through the immense waves of pain that hit when her stomach muscles were used. She could feel bandages taped into place beneath her polyester hospital gown and the tightness from the stitches.

It hadn't all just been a nightmare. She had been stabbed and had to fight for her life against a crazed psycho. The reality of that hit her like a wrecking ball.

"I have to get out of here," Bella whispered to herself.

'I'll be the lookout!'

Etta ran to the door as if this was a game more than anything. Though to her it probably was. She'd never taken things very seriously, even when she should have known better.

Before removing the sensors connected to the heart rate monitor, Bella disabled it so the nurses wouldn't be alerted when she took them off. She wanted to get out, not be ambushed by a pushy nurse. Once that was done, Bella carefully swung her legs round and tried to ease herself down from the bed.

"Ahhh fuck," Bella hissed.

She shouldn't have been moving but there was no way she wanted to spend another minute in the hospital let alone the night. Once she was on her feet, she took a moment to make sure she was steady.

'I can't see anyone but you should hurry.'

Etta was up on her tip toes peering through the small window in the door. It was then that Bella noticed that her sister was bare foot. Only then did she take in Etta's appearance; the vintage dress, the dark curls which were semi plaited with flowers.

"You're dead and you look better than me."

'You're in a hospital gown, that's not hard.'

When Bella reached the door she opened it and didn't see anyone, much to her relief. She stepped out and Etta followed behind her, also peering around with a concerned expression.

"It's worrying that we've done this before," Bella said to Etta. "It's messed up."

'Now you realise that this is messed up?'

The hallways were dark and Bella realised it was night time. She didn't want to speculate how long she'd been in the hospital unconscious and how many days had passed since the night she was attacked. Doing that wouldn't make her feel any better.

"I'm already completely insane, what does it matter?" Bella made sure to keep her voice low.

'You are talking to a dead person whilst trying to skedaddle from hospital.' Etta said with a smile.

"Do you realise how unhelpful you are being?" Bella stopped and looked at Etta.

'Yes. I'm aware.'

Both froze at the sound of footsteps. Bella looked around and spotted a medical supply cupboard. Moving as quickly as she could, Bella opened the door and stepped in, closing the door behind her.

'Maybe this is one of the things you should be discussing with your psychiatrist.'

Bella's hand was pressed against the bandaged wound on her abdomen and she breathed through the pain. It was definitely worse than the last time she'd been stabbed when the doctor described the wound as minor. This was not minor.

"Etta..."

'Yes'

"Shut the fuck up," Bella told her.

Now was not the time to put up with infuriating narration from a dead sister who could have very well been insane. She needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Bella opened the door a fraction and listened. She heard nothing, no voices or footsteps. When she opened it a little more, she still heard nothing so she moved. The hallway was empty and she followed the sign indicating where the exit was.

Turning the corner, Bella stopped dead.

"Oh."

Carlisle was standing there as if he had been waiting for her. Risking a glance back, Bella saw that Etta had vanished.

_Damn unreliable ghost!_

Bella looked back to Carlisle. This could go very badly or be okay. She had no idea which way it would turn out and the uncertainty was only adding to her anxiety. She wanted to turn and run but that was definitely not an option.

He smiled gently at her and reached out to touch her arm. The second he did he realized it had been a mistake. She jerked back like she'd been electrocuted and the suddenness of her movement made him concerned that she could have ripped her stitches.

"Bella don't," Carlisle began to say but it was too late.

Bella turned quickly and her bare feet slipped on the shiny smooth flooring, causing her to slip. She barely had a chance to gasp before Carlisle had her securely in his arms, being as mindful of her injury as possible as he held her close to him.

"You need to trust me," Carlisle told her calmly.

The look in his eyes told Bella that he understood just what he was asking. How difficult it would be for her to do that and yet he was still asking. She nodded hesitantly and he gently scooped her up. It was very strange for her to be carried by him, she couldn't feel him moving at all his movements were so smooth.

"I don't want to be here," she whispered.

"I'm very sorry for what has happened to you and I understand that being here must be very uncomfortable."

Carlisle entered the hospital room and placed Bella down on the bed. She hadn't ripped the stitches, he would be able to smell it if she had but she needed to be careful. Bella didn't look at all happy to be back in the room and he worried that she would again try and leave.

"I'm supposed to call your uncle as soon as you are awake," Carlisle told her.

Bella didn't want to talk with Charlie, at least not straight away. She wanted some time to think through what she would say. Not that she was going to lie but recounting what had happened would be unpleasant.

"Perhaps that could wait until morning."

Bella smiled faintly, "Thank you."

Carlisle took a syringe from his pocket and showed it to her, hoping not to alarm her.

"I want to give you something that will help you to sleep. Only with your agreement though."

"Okay."

If she was going to be there another night she wanted to sleep and sleep well. Carlisle nodded and seconds after he injected the liquid into the freshly inserted cannula, she was drifting off.

-x-

Bella was awake when Charlie arrived early in the morning. He was desperate to see how she was and obviously hadn't slept well if at all since this happened. It was during their discussion Bella learned that she'd been unconscious for well over twenty four hours. They were concerned that she could have fallen into a coma like state had she not woken up.

Thankfully there had been no sight or sound of Etta when Bella woke and she was happy to put her little hallucination down to post traumatic stress or something like that.

"I was so damn scared Bella," Charlie told her gravely, shaking his head as he held her hand. "I thought you were going to die."

"I'm fine though," Bella said. "I'm fine thanks to you."

Charlie shook off what she was trying to say. He didn't want to be commended for saving her. He felt terribly guilty for leaving Bella alone to be attacked. When he asked her to move to Forks, he had promised her that she would have a normal, safe life. Not even a month in and he'd let down. He felt like a failure.

"Is he..."

Bella wasn't able to say his name but Charlie understood what she was asking.

"He's in the ICU, critical condition. The doctors say it's fifty-fifty if he makes it."

Honestly, Bella had no idea how to feel about that. She would have killed him that night, she was sure of it. Just as sure as she was of the fact that he would have killed her.

"There's uh... an officer coming over soon to take your statement," Charlie said sighing. "Do you think you're up for it?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

The quicker this could be over the better in her mind. She was a little glad that it wouldn't be Charlie taking her statement. Recounting exactly what had happened between herself and Mallory would be easier if it was with a stranger.

"Do you know when I'll be able to get out of here?"

"The doctor said it would be a few days Bella," Charlie said with an apologetic smile.

"That's what I was afraid of."

"You nearly died, you'll stay here as long as they think it's necessary," Charlie told her firmly.

Bella nodded, deciding not to argue. If it would give Charlie some peace of mind then she would put up with the discomfort of remaining in the hospital.

"I'll bring you some stuff. Change of clothes and maybe a couple of books?" Charlie half asked.

"That would be great."

Charlie stood up and slipped his jacket on. He was about to head to the door but he paused.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes. Don't even have any pain thanks to this," Bella said holding up the button for the painkillers.

"Don't go crazy with that," Charlie joked, walking to the door.

Bella smiled and Charlie walked out to tell the officer that she was ready for them.

-x-

Giving a statement to an officer wasn't half as bad as Bella had expected. These officers were nothing like the ones in New York and the woman even apologised to Bella before asking half the questions, not wanting to upset her anymore.

Bella also took this as a chance to see what the police had discovered. From what she ascertained, Mallory's wife and daughter were shocked and appalled in equal measure and had fled to stay with family near Seattle before word could spread around town. The police were eager to interview Mallory when he woke up; otherwise it was going to be near impossible to locate the rest of the bodies. His motivations in committing these crimes were also unknown.

Bella had no interest in learning why he'd done any of it. She was just incredibly glad that it was over. Why he was like this was something for the police to learn, not her.

The officer was only with her for an hour and when she left, Carlisle entered the room.

"Did you hear everything?" Bella asked him and he paused. "I don't mind if you did."

"I heard."

"Is he going to die?" Bella asked.

"Honestly I don't know. It could go either way," Carlisle said honestly. "He was unstable for a while."

"Are you his doctor?"

"No. I wasn't on shift when the two of you were brought in," Carlisle answered.

Strangely Bella was pleased he hadn't seen her in that state; near death, weak and beaten. Briefly she wondered what Charlie had felt when he saw her like that. She was too nervous to ask him though.

Bella wanted so badly to ask about Edward. To ask if he knew what had happened to her. She was stubborn though and didn't want to appear desperate.

"I didn't want it to be Charlie that found me. Though I guess if he hadn't then I would be dead," Bella said.

"Charlie is a strong man. He did whatever he had to make sure you were safe."

"If Joe Mallory dies then it will be because of Charlie," Bella said clearly upset.

"He's a police officer."

"I don't think this is what he signed up for."

Carlisle sat down on the edge of the bed but at the end, the furthest he could be from her but still he sat there.

"You fought Joe Mallory, I can see the defence wounds on you," Carlisle said looking at her hands and arms. "Is it so wrong to think that your uncle would fight for you?"

"Don't tell me that in addition to your work as a doctor, you are also a psychiatrist?" Bella said.

Carlisle smiled, wondering when it was that a human last caught him out like this.

"Over the years I have studied many areas of medicine. Psychology is a fascination of mine," Carlisle said.

Bella nodded. A vampire would have nothing but time to study whatever they wanted to.

"Does Edward know I'm here?" Bella asked.

"Yes, yes he does," Carlisle said sounding graver than before. "I know he would very much like to be here with you now."

"But he can't come to a hospital, the blood..." Bella said understanding.

"The blood wouldn't bother him, other than your blood perhaps," Carlisle said. "There's another reason."

"What is it?" Bella asked.

"It's too dangerous to let Edward near the hospital while Joe Mallory is here. There is no guarantee that we could prevent Edward him killing him for what he did," Carlisle told her.

For a moment Bella was speechless. That possibility hadn't occurred to her, not once. She had thought it was due to the blood and her blood. Not that he wanted to kill Mallory.

"You think Edward would kill Mallory?"

"I think the bond between you two is too unpredictable at present. We can't take that risk."

If Edward killed Mallory they would all be exposed. It would be over for the Cullens and god knows what would happen. That thought terrified Bella and she knew that Edward had to stay away from the hospital at all costs.

"He definitely can't come here," Bella said.

As much as she wanted to see him, to have him there with her, Bella wasn't going to put herself before them. She couldn't lose Edward, especially when she'd only just met him.

-x-

Bella's release from hospital was sooner than anyone expected. That night, within two hours of her falling asleep she woke screaming to such a degree, the nurses on duty expected to find someone attacking her. It took them a long while to calm Bella but once again she began thrashing and screaming less than an hour after falling back to sleep.

The entire floor was woken by her screaming and not even sedatives helped her to calm. With the patients getting worked up and Bella unable to settle, by morning the doctors had decided that she should be sent home. They hoped if she was in her own bed she would sleep and get more rest than at the hospital.

"Damn doctors! They're supposed to help patients not kick them out before they're read," Charlie fumed as he put the bag on the bed.

"Charlie please, I'm glad to be going home."

Charlie might be annoyed but Bella was more than a little thrilled to be getting out of there. It was almost worth having had a night of complete terror and pain.

"It's not right."

"I want to sleep in my own bed, in my own room," she said looking rather tired.

Charlie had brought her some clothes for her to change into in addition to her wash bag and purse.

"The doctor said I'm clearly not comfortable being here and we don't live a million miles from the hospital. If there's a problem then we can come back, it's not a big deal."

Bella was doing her best to change his mood and Charlie seemed to realize that as he didn't say another word about the doctors. She needed to rest and clearly she wasn't getting any in hospital and she was right, he could have her back at the hospital within minutes if she felt bad.

"Here we are," Carlisle said walking in with a wheelchair.

"You're kidding?" Bella asked flatly.

"Hospital procedure I'm afraid," he said with a smile.

Carlisle pushed the wheelchair over to the bed and Bella got to her feet before he could move to help her. He was realising just how stubborn and defiant she could be.

"Just do what they ask, Bella," Charlie said.

Bella allowed Carlisle to push her in the wheelchair out of the room and down the corridors. A few of the people they passed stared or quickly looked away. Evidently they knew that she was the one who had been attacked.

Carlisle waited with Bella while Charlie brought the car round and double checked that the nurses had gone over everything with her.

"If you need anything, just call," Carlisle said.

"Thanks Dr Cullen," Charlie said shaking his hand.

"Not at all, I'm just glad that she's recovering so well," Carlisle said with a smile.

"Me too."

Charlie helped Bella into the car and Carlisle went back in with the wheelchair. She had painkillers, fresh gauze and bandages and was relieved to be heading back.

-x-

The front door opened as soon as the cruiser pulled into the driveway and Jacob hurried out. He looked incredibly excited to see them back and that made Bella nervous

"Bella!"

Bella barely had a chance to register his presence before he'd opened the door, trying to be helpful. Charlie was looking a little alarmed and jumped out, trying to get round to the other side.

"Wow, you look great. You really do. Can I help you inside? Or I could carry you if you prefer, I'm pretty strong."

"Easy there Jake," Charlie said noticing that Bella hadn't moved a muscle. "I haven't had a chance to tell her yet."

"Tell me what?" Bella asked warily.

"Uhh," Jacob murmured sheepishly and backed off.

"There's a little welcome home party for you," Charlie explained as he took her hands, helping her out the car.

If Bella was the praying or wishing kind, now would be the time for her. She didn't like parties, especially surprise parties and there was no damn reason for there to be a party.

"A party? To celebrate that I nearly died?"

"To celebrate that you didn't," Jacob clarified.

Charlie looked scared and reluctant as he looked at his niece. She didn't seem impressed or pleased about this and hoped that it hadn't been a huge mistake to go with the idea.

"Well let's go in then," Bella said seeing that she had no other choice.

"It's going to be great." Jacob grinned.

Bella definitely didn't share his enthusiasm but she followed him into the house while Charlie grabbed the bag from the boot. She could hear voices which made her stomach lurch.

_How many people are here? Did they invite the whole fucking town?_

There was a woman with long dark hair in the kitchen; she was putting little cakes on a plate as quickly as she could. She looked up when Bella entered and smiled warmly.

"You must be Bella, hello I'm Sue."

"Hi."

"You look well. I'm very sorry to hear what happened. That must have been horrible," Sue said.

"I don't really remember it."

Saying that was much easier than having to field everyone questions. It would also make people believe that she would recover quicker if she didn't remember.

"My son Seth is in the lounge with Billy, I think they've found some game or another to watch," Sue told them.

"Okay."

Bella walked through to the lounge where Billy was with a dark haired boy who looked to be in his early teens. When she entered the boy looked up excitedly.

"You're the girl who got stabbed?" He asked.

Billy immediately clipped him round the head with his hand and looked at Bella apologetically. At least he could count on his own son not to say stupid things like that.

"Ignore him," Billy said.

"It's okay. Yes I'm the girl that was stabbed; most people call me Bella though."

"Sorry, I've just never met anyone who got stabbed. Did it hurt a lot?" Seth asked.

"Seth that's enough."

Bella wasn't angry with Seth. He was just young and curious and definitely didn't mean it in a bad or malicious way.

"Bella do you want a drink?"

Turning round, she saw Jacob standing there. She nodded and walked back to the kitchen with him. Sue walked past them with the plate of cakes and Charlie followed her.

"So, how do you feel?"

"Okay."

"Really? Bella you were stabbed." Jacob screwed up his face. "How can that be okay?"

"Because I say it is," she answered simply.

-x-

Bella wondered if Charlie had briefed everyone beforehand not to ask her too many questions and not overwhelm her as the little welcome home party was surprisingly bearable. Everyone was pleasant but the conversation was very light and jovial.

After a few hours, Bella excused herself and went upstairs to her room. She needed some time alone to sort her head out. Since waking up she'd barely been alone at all. Between doctors, nurses, orderlies and Charlie she hadn't had the chance to be by herself.

Bella shut the door and walked to the corner of the room by the window and sunk down until she was huddled in it. She had a perfect view of the door and would know if anyone tried to open the window. It was the perfect position for a tactical advantage in the event of an attack and one she'd taken up many times before in various rooms.

For some reason she wasn't ready to sleep just yet. She rested her head back against the wall and closed her eyes.

_That flash of light as the knife went at her..._

_The feeling as the blade sliced through her flesh..._

_Blood dripping down her stomach..._

Bella realised she was going to have to accept the fact that there was nowhere she would ever truly be safe. Forks was just a different kind of danger to New York. A new setting and the rules may be different but the game was the same.

She rested her head on top of her knees and tears began to roll down her cheeks. As tired as she felt, she was scared to sleep. To face the nightmares which she knew were waiting for her.

Cool hands stroked her arms, gently coaxing her back to awareness. Bella raised her head and saw Edward knelt before her. He smiled at her but it was stiff, concern filled his eyes.

"Tell me?"

"I'm so tired, but I'm scared," she said tearfully.

Edward wiped the tear tracks away with his thumb. He hated that there wasn't anything he could do to prevent her nightmares. That it was something she had to face alone.

"I'll stay with you."

He lifted her off the ground and carried her over to the bed. After he pulled the covers back, Bella was set down and Edward joined her, keeping his arms around her. Given her need to keep her abdomen straight she couldn't get as close to him as she wanted but she held his hand tightly in her own.

"I've missed you," she whispered.

"Not going to you when Carlisle called... it was agony." Edward grimaced as he replayed it in his mind.

All Edward had been able to do was to trust that Carlisle would do everything he could to ensure Bella's wellbeing. Alice hadn't seen anything which added to continued frustration and concern over her blindness when it came to this girl.

"You were right not to come. If you were all exposed because of me..."

Bella couldn't even finish the sentence, tears continued to fall and Edward leaned down to kiss her. As always the reaction that he drew from her was thrilling for Edward. To know that he could illicit such reactions with just a kiss made his mind whirl. He was desperate to know what it would be like to touch her more intimately. In ways that no else had ever touched her before.

His touch may have been cool but it left a trail of fire across her skin that made her breath hitch. It could have been residual fear or their separation but she wasn't satisfied with just that. She needed much more and Edward was determined to give it to her.

She sucked at his lips, pulling him closer but they weren't in the best position. Edward seemed to realise this as he pushed her back against the mattress and pressed his body firmly against hers, growling at the friction it caused between them.

Bella's hand grasped his back, keeping him close as if he would try and get away from her. Her head fell back and for a second he was stunned that she would willingly bare her neck to him while in such a vulnerable position. He could kill her and she wouldn't be able to do a thing. Edward took a second to compose himself before leaning down and kissing a path down her neck, lingering over the artery pulsing in her neck.

With every stroke of his tongue against her skin she was becoming wilder and desperate. Her hand gripped his hair and pushed his head lower; he complied and moaned when his mouth reached her breasts. Edward propped himself up on his elbow for a second so his hands were free. The sound of tearing fabric caused her to look down and she giggled as he shredded the t-shirt she was wearing.

Bella didn't feel at all self conscious. With his hands on her body, she could barely think about anything, let alone the fact she was only in her bra. Edward stared down at her intensely, eyes taking in every inch of skin that was now visible to him. Her soft curves encased in lace, the bare flesh below that which would have been completely uncovered had it not been for the bandage taped there.

Edward refused to think about her injury. She was trying to forget and he was determined to help. His head dropped down to her body and his mouth began licking and sucking at her breast through the fabric of her bra. Her gasps of pleasure not only assured him that his actions were welcome but increased his determination to hear more.

Bella was gasping and panting already and Edward knew he was going to have to make sure she didn't get too loud given the people sat downstairs in the living room. Edward had a suspicion that Chief Swan wouldn't be too pleased to find him in bed with his half naked niece.

"Please Edward," she begged.

His hand slid between her thighs and he began to stroke her over the material of her yoga pants. Her body was already quivering from his attention and he wasn't prepared for her reaction. She bucked against his hand, back arched and whined as he made her come.

Before the high pitched cry could escape from her, Edward slid two fingers into her mouth, effectively silencing her. He did not expect her to begin sucking on them which combined with his already aching arousal caused him to climax moments after she had.

Bella's eyes were closed as she took in large lungfull's of air, trying to calm her trembling body. Edward's hand remained on her thigh and he was staring at her.

"I love you," he told her.

Three little words. Ones that from anyone else, any other time would have terrified her because in Bella's mind love equalled loss and pain. Coming from Edward though, it changed her entire concept of love.

"I love you."

The moment she'd spoken, his lips were on hers kissing her so frantic and ardently it could have been their wedding day.

-x-

With Edward beside her, Bella slept soundly. He left only on the occasions that Charlie came to check in on her. Once Charlie was asleep though, Edward remained with her. There was only one point during the night when she seemed to become upset and Edward was able to soothe her before it built.

Charlie didn't wake Bella in the morning, instead letting her sleep as long as she needed to. When she did wake up, she loved finding Edward still in bed with her. After going to the bathroom, she went downstairs to see Charlie. He'd planned on taking the whole day off but she encouraged him to go in, not wanting him just sitting around in worrying about her. Bella promised to phone if she felt the slightest but unwell and he promised to be home early with pizza.

With the house to themselves, Edward set Bella on the couch with some cushions and a blanket. He sat with her while she watched old reruns of game shows.

It was incredibly normal and Bella loved it.

* * *

Review and let me know what you thought! :)


	20. Chapter 18

A/N: I own nothing.

* * *

It had been five minutes since Edward had received an urgent phone call from his brother asking for his help. Bella had insisted that he go, promising to remain at home and do nothing that could possibly be considered strenuous. Four minutes since he'd left, assuring her that he would be back as soon as possible and Bella missed him.

The more time they spent together the harder it was when they were separated. Though it hadn't been discussed, the fact that Edward was skipping school today indicated that he planned to be with her as much as possible during her recovery. She wondered what would happen when they did have to be separated for longer periods of time.

Bella was considering this when there was a knock at the front door. She wasn't worried, knowing that anyone who meant her harm wouldn't knock first so she stood and walked over to answer it. When she found Alice Cullen standing there however, she was worried.

"Alice."

"Hello Bella, how are you? I brought you these, I hope you like them. Shall I put them in water for you?"

Before Bella realised what was happening, Alice had flitted past her holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers and was in the kitchen looking for a vase. She shut the door and followed her.

"Thanks, I guess."

"You look well. Carlisle asked me to tell you that if you experience any pain to call him immediately, day or night."

"Okay."

Alice's hands were moving lightning fast as she adjusted the flowers in the vase to make the perfect arrangement. The lilies were beautiful, delicate shades of pale pink and peach. Lily's were Bella's favourite flower.

"I was going to bring you grapes because that's what you give to people when they are sick or hurt but I had no idea there were so many varieties to choose from. Green, red, black. I didn't know which you'd prefer and that's before I got to the seedless and seeded issue. In the end I decided on flowers."

"They're lovely. Thank you," Bella said.

Alice smiled. "You're welcome."

Alice's presence was doing a real number on Bella's thought process. She wanted to know why Alice was there if something had happened bad enough to prompt the call which had Edward running back home. Mostly though Bella wanted to know why she was there.

"Alice?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?" Bella did her best not to sound rude.

"I wanted to see you. I've been worried about you since we heard what happened," Alice answered.

That could be it but given that Carlisle had been her doctor, wouldn't he have been able to tell that she was okay? Was Alice just looking for a reason to come here and if so, why?

"I'm fine. I'm healing well."

Bella didn't say anymore. She wanted to see how Alice would react when forced to steer the conversation. What she would say. Alice was staring at her as if waiting. Bella remained still and silent while the vampire did this and after a moment, a crease formed in the smooth marble of her forehead.

"I can't see you," Alice announced.

Then Bella frowned. She was standing right in front of Alice, how could she not see her?

"I'm here." Bella waved her hand.

"I know that and I see you with my eyes but-" Alice stomped a foot. "I don't see you in my visions."

"Oh."

Bella had a pretty good idea of why that was. Edward had told her that Alice had had difficulty before but that could have changed for all she knew. Apparently though it hadn't, Alice didn't see her at all now.

"I need to see you," Alice said in an almost desperate way. "If I'd seen Mallory attack you we could have prevented this."

"It doesn't work that way. Not with me." Bella shook her head slightly before running her hand through her hair.

"So you do know why I'm blind to you."

"One of the biggest threats to those like me... is from others like me. I can't have someone watching me."

Alice jerked back like she'd been slapped. She looked almost bewildered and Bella felt a little bad for causing such a reaction. It wasn't a personal attack, just the way it was.

"You are stopping me," Alice said.

"I'm doing what I have to do in order to protect myself. I'm sorry if it's frustrating to you but I'm not taking the wall down."

"I can help you Bella. I know that I can. It will stop you from being hurt and getting into dangerous situations. All I want to do is help you; I would never use it to spy on you."

Bella realised how complicated it was going to be having Edward as a mate. She was bound to him but also to his family. It was going to create issues beyond the usual ones people had when getting to know a spouses family. It was clear the Cullens were close and Bella wasn't ready to jump right into that.

"I'm sorry but the answer is no Alice."

-x-

When Edward came back he was angry. He'd chased Emmett halfway to Canada and back after finding out his brother had only called to lure him away from Bella to give Alice the chance to talk with her. She'd been trying other ways for a while now and had finally convinced Emmett to assist her in distracting their brother.

Bella was rather withdrawn when Edward found her in her room. He wanted to know what Alice had said but she wouldn't tell him. As much as she was hesitant to jump into a friendship with this vampiric girl she wasn't going to sell her out just like that.

"Edward what I discuss with your sister is between us."

"I had no idea what she was going to do."

"I know. I get the impression she's done this kind of thing before?" Bella asked.

"Many times."

Bella was on the bed, leaning back against the cushions while Edward stood by her dresser, examining a bracelet without really seeing it at all. Everything in her room told him more about her; from the books she liked to read to the music she enjoyed.

"There's something we should discuss," Edward said after a few minutes of silence.

"Okay."

"Mallory may have been responsible for the recent murders but we still don't know what happened to the three missing girls."

"I've been thinking about that too."

Edward joined her on the bed, taking her hand in his. He found it imperative to have some sort of physical contact with her. To be able to feel her skin beneath his fingers.

"Tell me what I can do."

"You don't need to do anything Edward. It's my problem to deal with and I will figure it out."

"I want to help you Bella."

"You are helping me. Just by being here with me you help," she told him.

"I'm so glad you feel like that."

"I will tell you more, I promise. I just need some time to get used to having someone to share that with."

Edward and Bella both needed to adjust to this and it wouldn't happen overnight. Luckily they knew that and were willing to give it time.

"There are some things in my life that I've never discussed with anyone at all."

"Your father?" he guessed.

"Yes," she nodded. "It's not something I even want to think about, let alone talk about."

"It's okay Bella; you don't have to tell me anything if you're not comfortable."

"You're family, you care about each other. You can see it when you look at each other. You're a real family."

Edward realised what part of the issue was. She didn't know how to be around a proper family, let alone contemplate being a part of one. Unless you grew up like that, it took some time to get to the dynamic. The trust and the openness involved.

Even now with Jasper it was sometimes difficult for him having spent so long with Maria and her army of vampires. Jasper had been with the Cullens for well over thirty years and still had moments of discomfort and unease. Parents and siblings and a caring environment had been alien to him.

"We don't have to do anything you're not ready for," Edward promised.

Bella knew he didn't just mean getting to know his family but with their relationship in general. Edward had been thinking about their intimacy the previous night and didn't want her to think he expected anything.

"I don't want you to think I'm not interested."

"I know that's not it," Edward said.

"I do want to know your family. Your father is great," she said which made him laugh.

"I'm sure he would appreciate that."

There had been several questions playing on Bella's mind and she decided now was the time.

"Alice is rather keen to get to know me but I'm not sure about the rest of them."

"Jasper is happy as long as Alice is happy. Emmett is more than a little curious about you and Esme is thrilled that I've found you."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"And Rosalie?" Bella prompted.

"Rosalie is less enthused than the others. She's more hesitant when it comes to change."

Bella knew he was hiding something back but she didn't push as she was doing the same.

"That makes sense."

Edward lowered his head and softly kissed her lips. He was addicted to her taste and would gladly spend days upon days exploring her mouth and learning every flavour of her.

"I wouldn't mind spending the next couple of day's right here in bed with you," Bella said with a smile.

"That sounds like heaven."

"Don't you have to go to school? I know I have sick leave but surely you're expected to go?"

Edward smiled and covered her lips with his fingers, signalling her to be quiet.

"Don't worry about that."

His hand moved under her shirt and ran up her back, tracing her spine with his fingers. Her soft moan when he touched her was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard.

"I love you so much."

"I love you."

Hearing her say that had been the greatest moment of his life and hearing her say it again was just as wonderful. He loved her, adored her and having her say it back was more than he'd dared to hope for.

"Is it always going to feel like this between us?" Bella asked after a long silence.

"No. It will get stronger, the longer we are together. After several years the bond will settle and as much as we love each other, we will be able to be apart for a small amount of time. Carlisle and Esme can be apart for several days without being too badly affected."

"How long have they been together?"

"Over eighty years."

"Eighty?" Bella scoffed. "But it's... he doesn't..."

Bella shook her head, feeling more than a little overwhelmed. She knew that there was no way Edward or Carlisle were close to the ages they posed as but eighty?

"What is it?" He asked.

"Carlisle doesn't look a day over thirty."

"He was twenty three when he became a vampire. That was a long time ago."

"Huh."

No wonder Carlisle seemed older than he physically was. Time would do that with a vampire.

"Does that bother you?" Edward asked.

"No." Bella rushed to assure him. "I was just wondering how old you were, that's all."

Edward knew that sooner or later this would come up. Would telling her his age change anything?

"I became a vampire in 1918 when I was seventeen."

Bella didn't say anything. She was silent for a moment before smiling and reaching out to touch his cheek.

"So in a way we're the same age."

"In a way."

That seemed to make Bella happy so Edward was happy. He kissed her cheek several times before kissing her lips.

-x-

The following day wasn't as enjoyable and relaxing as the previous one had been for Bella. Charlie insisted that she reschedule her missed appointment with Dr Nolan. On Monday she had been in hospital and it had been cancelled but Charlie thought it was more important than ever that she continue with therapy.

"I have to admit, I'm rather surprised to see you here." Dr. Nolan told her warmly.

"Charlie insisted on it."

It had been a short, highly persistent conversation between Bella and her uncle. The more she objected, the more concerned he would have become about her.

"Because you were attacked, in your own home no less?" Nolan tilted his head as she spoke.

"Why do people always focus on that part?"

"That it was at your home?" he asked and she nodded. "You are supposed to be safe and secure in your home."

"So being attacked anywhere else is somehow less horrific? In the street or your place of work?"

"Of course not."

Once again she'd managed to steer him away from the point of their meeting. Anything to keep the focus off of her and whatever she was feeling.

"Did you know the man who attacked you?" Nolan asked.

"Not really. I'd met him once when I was at lunch with my uncle."

"This man formed an attachment to you after only a brief meeting? An attachment which grew so strong that he was forced to come after you like he did?"

"That is usually how it works with people like him," Bella said.

She'd studied criminals and their behaviour; it was one of her interests. So she knew that Mallory's actions had been similar to those of a stalker in that when he'd met her, just in passing, he had seen something in her that captivated him.

Bella had barely acknowledge him and yet that was enough for him to become obsessed with her to the degree that he'd stalked her and tried to kill her.

"Elaborate."

"They cross paths with someone, half the time the other person doesn't even realise and become fixated on them. It begins with stalking and escalates."

Dr Nolan nodded in agreement. He wanted to see what she understood about the behavioural processes of these kinds of people, if anything. She knew more than he'd expected her to.

"So you understand that you are in no way responsible for his actions," he told her.

"Yes. I know that."

"Good." Nolan paused. "How have you been feeling since that night?"

"I feel fine."

"Really? Fine?"

"I've been recovering well and I know that Mallory is under guard in the hospital. I know that I'm not in danger anymore."

Nolan nodded, believing her. She wasn't your average girl and seemed to be highly skilled at processing unpleasant events. Seeing a therapist was supposed to help her deal with her mother's death at such a young age and then the issues with her sister. Over the years more reasons to need help from a professional had been added.

"How have you found it since being home?"

"Everyone is being very nice," she answered.

"Did you expect anything else?"

"I don't know the standard reaction for when you're almost killed by a well respected local lawyer."

"From what I know he fooled a lot of people."

"Everyone as far as I know. His wife, his daughter. No one had any idea what he was really like."

The whole town was still reeling from learning the truth about Joe Mallory. Bella was dreading the time when she would have to go out and face them. It was going to be worse than school and worse than when she and Edward went public.

"Do you think what happened that night has made it harder for you to trust those around you?" Nolan asked.

"No, I don't."

Bella realised that she'd grown more comfortable with the idea of Edward knowing more about her. The last couple of days had been a turning point and she wanted to share more with him and answer his questions. While there were some aspects she wasn't comfortable yet discussing, she decided to make more of an effort.

-x-

Edward was waiting for Bella outside the office in Port Angeles. He'd made sure to arrive only a minute before the end of her session with Dr. Nolan, not wanting her to think he was eavesdropping. Knowing that she wouldn't want to linger in town, he'd driven her and promised to wait.

The door opened and Bella rushed out. She smiled when she saw him and he smiled too.

"How was it?" He asked.

"Fine but I had a thought," she said eager to share her epiphany.

"Which was?"

"I think we should tell Charlie about us."

Edward was taken aback by her decision. He'd thought about it of course but decided not to bring it up given the series of rather overwhelming events that had occurred.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. He should know and it would mean that you wouldn't have to sneak around all the time."

His smile was bright and she laughed. It seemed he was pleased by her decision. She wanted their relationship to work as much as he did. Also it would mean he could use the front door instead of the window.

"When do you want to tell him?" Edward opened the passenger door for her.

"Tonight. When he gets back from work."

Bella had no idea what Charlie's reaction would be but she knew it was time. Everyone at school knew and it seemed wrong that her uncle didn't. She didn't want him to think she was keeping it from him.

The longer Bella spent time with Edward the more she realised that he was going to be a permanent fixture in her life. Charlie was the only family she had and she wanted to keep the lies she told him to a minimum.

Edward drove them back to Forks and accompanied her inside. Thankfully no one spotted her for which she was very grateful. It would be an hour or so until Charlie got back and they decided to sit downstairs in the living room. Having Charlie find them in her bedroom wouldn't be the best way to start this off.

"Are you hungry? You skipped lunch," he said.

"No. I'm still a bit too..." she shook her head. "I'll wait until dinner."

She'd been too nervous about her appointment to eat lunch and now she was anxious about telling Charlie.

"I've never really seen you eat."

His comment took her by surprise. "Why would you want to watch a human eat?"

"Just an observation."

Edward hated it when he had to be around humans eating but with Bella, as with everything else, it was different. He'd noticed her picking at a salad or eating an orange but that was it. She was slender and definitely didn't need to skip any meals.

"We've never really talked about your diet," she said with a slight hesitance. "You feed from animals, right?"

He'd tensed when she mentioned his diet. He'd purposely not mentioned it for fear of that finally being the thing which terrified her and made her run from him.

"Yes."

"You hunt wild animals in the forest?"

Edward nodded. She seemed to know more about this than he expected her to. It would explain why she hadn't mentioned it until now. He was still rather curious about how she was aware of vampires.

"We don't have to talk about this," Edward said.

"I wanted you to know that it doesn't bother me. That it's okay." She squeezed his hand.

Bella continued to amaze him with her understanding. She didn't seem at all phased by his diet and it didn't appear to affect how she felt about him which was a relief.

Meeting the Cullens had completely altered her view of vampires. Not once had she faced Edward, Alice or Carlisle and felt she was prey in their eyes. She hadn't looked at them and considered them predators despite knowing what they could be capable off.

To some Bella would be considered the predator but with Edward and his family, she knew her place. She had no problem with being the prey; she knew that he would protect her.

Edward froze. Bella was about to ask what was wrong when she heard a car pull up outside. She glanced to the clock and realised he was early.

"He shouldn't be back so soon."

Bella stood up and Edward took her hand in his. He knew why Charlie was back, she was sure of it but she wasn't going to ask him. The front door opened and he came in.

"Bella?"

"I'm in here."

If Charlie was surprised to see Edward there he didn't look it. He looked grave and shaken.

"Charlie? What's going on?"

"It's Mallory. He's dead."

It wasn't shock that rendered Bella frozen. Rather it was a complete and utter confusion over how to feel about it. Sadness, relief, happiness? Which one of those words described how she felt?

She had no idea.

"Bella?" Edward squeezed her hand.

"How... I thought he was stable?"

"Some heart issue or something. It happened this afternoon." Charlie swallowed, struggling to find the correct words. "I wanted to um, be the one to tell you."

Bella nodded.

She could remember every death she'd been connected to, even vaguely and not once had she struggled to understand what it was she felt. She'd always known what the emotion was and why she felt it.

The body she'd discovered in the woods and the two other missing young women had elicited more of a reaction from her. This man she had a tangible connection to. She'd stabbed a knife into his chest and now he was dead, she felt nothing.

"Uh you are?" Charlie asked.

"Edward Cullen, sir." He stepped forward to shake the man's hand.

"Dr. Cullen's boy?"

"Yes."

"Are you two...?" Charlie gestured between Edward and Bella.

Bella realised that she should jump in. She nodded and looked back to her uncle.

"He's my boyfriend."

The word boyfriend felt incredibly wrong but it was the only word to use with Charlie. It wasn't enough to describe what they felt to each other but they knew the truth.

Charlie nodded. It didn't hurt that Edward's father had been one of Bella's doctors who helped to save her life.

"Your father's a good man. I hope you'll look out for her like he did."

"I will."

-x-

The evening had been rather tense. Edward had left just before dinner, saying his parents expected him home. Charlie had thrown a ready meal in the microwave for himself after Bella declined a meal. She'd been silent pretty much all night.

Finally she'd gone up to her room.

_Just when I think I'm getting a handle on things, it goes to hell._

Sitting down on the bed, Bella tried to work out what would happen next. It felt like the world had changed completely since Charlie had walked in and told her Mallory was dead.

She couldn't get her head round the last part. Carlisle had said that Mallory was in a stable condition when she was released. Now, less than forty eight hours later he was dead?

Part of her reaction was fear. Pure, complete and utter fear. She was pretty sure how and why Mallory had died and it had nothing to do with the knife she had slammed into his chest or the bullet Charlie had fired.

Bella stood up and started pacing.

She wanted to go running, to get her legs pumping and lungs burning so that her mind would clear. However her current injury and lingering knee pain meant that was impossible. She wouldn't be able to do that for some time.

The autopsy on Mallory would undoubtedly show cause of death to be heart failure but the cause of that failure wouldn't be something that doctors or pathologists could pick up on.

At least if Bella was correct. Only Bella didn't want to be right.

She didn't want to admit that someone close to her had done this. Had taken a human life in order to protect her. Bella would have killed him that night, during the fight, if she'd had to. Fighting for your life is very different to sneaking in to a hospital room and killing a man who would have spent the rest of his life in prison.

Bella would never take a life when there were other options. At least that's what she wanted to believe. That she wouldn't be that far removed from humanity to take someone's life so coldly.

Was that it?

Was that her fear? Or was it the duplicity surrounding the death that worried her. That such action would be taken without even a word to her when she'd been the victim who had led to his death.

Many would have rejoiced at the idea of Mallory dying at the hand of an intended victim. Would they be as pleased to hear of his death now? Peacefully dying in his hospital bed as opposed to the violent death someone like him deserved.

Bella didn't know how to feel.

He would never take another life but that wouldn't have been a risk with him in prison.

Now she needed to work out what would happen next. No one would ask questions about the death. Bella could be the only one to know the truth about it.

She needed to do something quickly or this could be the start of a pattern.

-x-

Bella had barely taken three steps outside the house when she saw a figure lingering by the end of the driveway.

"Are you going to follow me?"

A moment after Bella had spoken, Alice was standing before her. Not the vampire she was expecting. If she'd been thinking clearly then she would have figured out which vampire it was before speaking.

"I'm concerned about you."

"No need to be." Bella did her best to appear confident and nonchalant but she was pretty sure Alice wasn't buying it.

"Your death would really upset my brother. I do think I need to be concerned."

"Well in case you hadn't heard, Forks resident serial killer died today. So unless you plan on having me for supper I think I'm okay."

Bella went to side step Alice but just found herself blocked again. She didn't have time for this.

"Where are you going?"

"Alice, your concern is sweet but please do not get involved in my business."

Bella walked past the other girl but as soon as she had, Alice grabbed her wrist and spun her back round.

"This is not how it is supposed to be!"

Alice frowned upon seeing Bella's eyes shut and a small grimace of pain on her face. She looked down at her hand on the human's wrist and gasped in horror as she realised what she'd done. Instantly she released Bella looking horrified at her actions.

"Oh my god."

"It's okay. I'm on a lot of painkillers."

"Bella I am so sorry."

Bella raised her other hand to silence the vampire who somehow managed to look close to tears.

"Alice, it was an accident. Don't panic."

Bella only felt a very slight twinge of discomfort but given that she was on painkillers, the injury could be more serious than she felt. She was more concerned about Alice.

"I just acted. I didn't want you to leave. I'm so sorry."

"What did you mean when you said this isn't how it's supposed to be?" Bella asked.

"Months ago I had a vision. I didn't see you exactly; it was more an impression of the future, of me and Edward's mate. We were best friends, sisters. Closer than I could have ever dreamed of being with someone who wasn't..."

Bella sighed, looking at the girl with different eyes. Alice had been waiting for her. For the friend and sister she already felt so connected to. To know the relationship they would have, could have and be just waiting on the side lines.

"Edward is keeping you all to himself and it's not fair. I know you're his mate but we're going to be great friends."

"He's looking out for me. I told him I wasn't ready to meet you all."

"I know."

Alice smiled at her and Bella found herself smiling back. It was surprisingly difficult to stay annoyed at Alice.

"So, can I take you to the hospital?" Alice asked nodding towards Bella's wrist.

"No!" Bella exclaimed. "I am not going to the hospital."

"Okay." Alice suddenly beamed. "I have another idea!"

* * *

Review and let me know what you think!


	21. Chapter 19

A/N: I own nothing.

* * *

Bella followed Alice down the road to where a car was parked. Alice hadn't parked right outside just in case Charlie glanced out the window and seen a strange car there in the middle of the night. The last thing Bella wanted was to be caught sneaking out in the middle of the night days after nearly being killed. Charlie would lose it.

Bella kept her wrist close to her body as she walked a soft throbbing starting to make itself known. It wasn't anywhere near the degree it would have been had she not been on the painkillers but it was bothering her.

Bella paused for a moment when they reached the car. It was the Volvo, Edward's car.

"I borrowed his car," Alice explained with a shrug.

"He said he was going hunting."

"He has. He's being extremely careful with you, especially at the moment. He won't be back until morning which means we have plenty of time to sort your wrist out."

Edward had made the plans before they found out about Mallory's death and he'd wanted to cancel but Bella told him to go. He'd been very unsure about leaving but she told him she wanted some time to think. Also she knew how important it was for him to hunt regularly, especially given the amount of time they were spending together.

They got in the car and Alice started the engine. Once Bella had put her seat belt on, she hit the gas and the car was flying down the otherwise quiet streets.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked.

"To our house. Carlisle can examine your wrist there and treat it so you don't have to go to the hospital."

Bella should have seen this coming. Of course Alice would take her to Carlisle. She refused to start panicking about this. Alice wouldn't let her change her mind and go back home. She also wouldn't just let Bella resume her earlier plans. Bella was going to have her wrist checked over, Alice was determined.

Alice shook her head. "I can't believe I hurt you!"

Alice once again cursed her inability to see any future that Bella was involved in. The blind spot had been lessening in recent days and Alice was convinced that Bella was somehow controlling it without even realising she could. When Bella felt vulnerable, the wall around her was Fort Knox.

"Alice, please don't feel bad. It was an accident."

"Edward won't see it like that. He's going to be furious with me."

"It's my wrist and I'm not angry so he has no right to be. I'm beginning to wonder if melodramatics is something just the two of you share or a vampiric trait."

Alice burst out laughing and it was the sweetest, tinkling bell like sound Bella had ever heard.

"You might be right. Edward can be pretty dramatic."

Sooner than Bella expected, they had arrived at the Cullens home. Bella got out the car and stared up at the beautiful but also very large and impressive glass and wood constructed house.

"Wow."

The building had three levels; most of the walls appeared to be glass and light streamed from them. Bella honestly didn't know what she'd expected but it wasn't this.

"What do you think?" Alice asked, half bouncing in excitement.

"I'm guessing you don't have neighbours."

"Not for miles."

"It's... amazing. It's modern but still... it fits you all perfectly."

Bella had never given much consideration to where vampires would live or what they would call home. She also hadn't really thought about the Cullens home but from what she knew of them, this was definitely a house that had been tailor made for them.

Some might expect a dark mansion with shadows, hidden passages and an almost Gothic appearance for vampires but the Cullens were no traditional vampires and their home represented that.

Alice walked up the steps and Bella followed. Bella felt slightly sick with apprehension. This wasn't how she thought this would happen. She thought she'd be with Edward and it would be a planned visit. Not turning up in the middle of the night needing medical attention.

"Come on."

Bella looked up to find Alice standing by the door, waiting for her. At some point during her reflections, Bella had stopped walking.

"It'll be okay."

Alice realised that Bella was anxious and smiled, hoping to reassure her new friend that everything would be alright. Bella resumed walking and entered the house.

The foyer was so beautiful. Everything was exquisite from the art on the wall to the simple table by the door. Alice smiled and gestured for her to follow. The rest of the house was just as impressive as the outside and foyer. The downstairs was so large and open and during the day the rooms would be full of light.

"Carlisle?"

Bella heard a door open and a moment later he appeared, walking at a human pace, from another room. She was fairly sure that Carlisle was moving slowly for her benefit, just like Alice had been. In their home there was no need to pretend.

"Bella, this is a surprise."

"Not the night I had planned either."

Before either Bella or Alice could elaborate, the only member of the Cullen family that Bella had yet to meet walked in. She was absolutely lovely, the complete embodiment of warmth, care and love. Bella was reminded of beautiful Hollywood actresses from the twenties and thirties.

"You must be Bella; it's lovely to finally meet you."

"Bella, this is my wife Esme. She's been looking forward to meeting you," Carlisle said.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs Cullen."

"Oh please, call me Esme."

Carlisle was holding Esme's hand, partly to remind his wife not to rush over and embrace the girl, no matter how much she wanted to. Edward had told them how skittish Bella could be with people and that hugging her right off the back would be a bad idea.

The last couple of weeks Esme had been grilling all her children for information on Bella and had even considered going into Forks to have a sneak peek at her.

"Does Edward know you've brought Bella here?" Carlisle asked his daughter.

"Um no. "

"Alice?" Esme said half scolding her.

"I'm here because I really don't want to go to the hospital again," Bella confessed.

That alarmed Carlisle and immediately he did a quick appraisal of her from head to toe. She was no longer holding her arm to her chest but it was still at a rather awkward angle.

"Your arm?"

"I grabbed her wrist and I think I broke a bone," Alice said.

"It's fine, barely hurts."

In fact since getting in the car with Alice, she hadn't felt a single twinge of discomfort from her arm or her abdomen.

"Oh dear."

"Follow me please, Bella," Carlisle instructed.

Bella followed Carlisle through to the kitchen which looked like it had barely been used. It was spacious, full of shiny high spec -equipment and would have fitted in fine in a glossy homes magazine.

Carlisle pulled out one of the stools for her and helped her to climb onto it.

"I'll just get some things."

Carlisle left and Alice came over to stand by Bella while Esme moved round the counter. Esme was trying to keep busy and not just openly stare at her son's new mate.

"Can I get you something to drink? We have water and we might have some juice in the fridge," Esme said.

"You have food here? Human food?"

Alice laughed at Bella's question though she had to admit it would be amusing for a human to find out that a group of vampires had groceries in their home.

"To keep up appearances I go shopping every week. It usually ends up at a food drive or church," Esme said.

"Oh, right. Water would be fine, thank you."

There was a slight crash and a second later Emmett appeared in the doorway looking like a child on Christmas morning.

"Spill Ali, what did you do to get her here? Kidnap? Blackmail?" Emmett asked.

"Don't be so ridiculous. Bella's here because she needs Carlisle to examine her wrist," Alice said.

"Oh physical coercion; didn't think you had it in you." Emmett winked at her.

"Emmett don't tease her, she feels bad enough as it is." Esme said giving him a reproachful look.

"I'm kidding. She knows I'm kidding."

Moving his attention from Alice to Bella, he walked over to size up their guest. He moved closer to her than he would have with any other human, hoping to give her a little scare but she remained unruffled.

Her heart beat remained even and calm. She just stared back at him as if she had spent every day of her life in the company of vampires. Esme watched tensely, waiting for Bella to react or Emmett to do something that would make her react.

"Okay..." Emmett said after a long moment. "I like her."

Alice laughed and Esme rolled her eyes at her son's actions. Carlisle entered a moment later holding his medical bag. He didn't need them but thought maintaining the facade as he did at the hospital would put her at ease.

"Emmett, I hope you are not trying to scare her."

"I tried but it didn't seem to work. Got a brave one here, gotta give Eddie some credit."

_Eddie? Must ask him about that one._

Carlisle set his bag on the counter and turned to Bella. She held out her arm and he began to gently manipulate her wrist, feeling the bones and doing a much more thorough job than any other doctor would have done.

"I think you have a minor fracture to one of the small bones to your wrist. You will have to wear a splint."

Bella nodded. She felt more than a little uncomfortable about being the centre of attention. Esme, Emmett and Alice were watching her with a level of intensity that she found very unsettling.

Then she felt something. It was a wave that overcame her from nowhere. Similar to a wave of perfume washing over you as you pass by a flowering plant or bush. It was pure serenity and calm.

The suddenness of it alarmed her greatly and her defences went up. In her mind it was a red brick wall that encircled her, protecting her from everything.

Jasper had frozen in shock behind her.

He'd entered the kitchen from the balcony and when he'd felt Bella's nerves and apprehension, he had attempted to calm her. He hadn't expected for that to be sent back at him like a ricocheting bullet. It was as though lightning struck him as the sensation coursed through his body. Having his own emanation forced back on him was highly unpleasant and it was the closest a vampire could get to feeling sick.

Without meaning to, Jasper's feeling was projected to the whole room and they all gasped, some crying out at the sudden onslaught. It was so strong and so sudden even Carlisle was shocked enough to nearly drop the splint he'd been holding.

While the Cullens had been focused purely on what they were feeling, Bella was reaching breaking point. Being around these vampires was having a very strange effect on her and every single fibre of her being was screaming at her to take action.

"What did you do?" Jasper asked her in pure amazement.

Bella had jumped off the stool the moment she'd felt the influx of emotions. The rest had been pure instinct and she couldn't have stopped herself. Nor could she stop herself from what happened next.

The vast number of glass panes which made up the walls began to shake, softly at fast but the shaking grew in severity. The sound distracted the vampires from the pull of their own emotions. Emmett looked confused, Alice alarmed and Esme cautious.

Carlisle and Jasper were the only ones who realised that it was Bella who was causing this. The Cullen patriarch was watching her guardedly, concerned over not just what she was doing and causing but the emotional state that led to this.

"Bella?"

She was moving further and further away from the counter where they were standing. Jasper moved back, away from Bella and close to Alice. It was clear that his presence was alarming the human and he didn't want to make her feel any worse.

"Don't-"

Bella was falling. It felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside in a million different directions. Like she'd swallowed hooks and now the chains connected to those hooks were being yanked.

Jasper cried out, sinking to his knees as the agony Bella felt reached a crescendo.

"Bella you need to breathe," Carlisle said stepping forward.

Breathing was the least of her concerns. The pain she'd felt from her wrist and abdomen was a distant memory and she felt strong. Stronger than she'd ever imagined she could feel. It was an inhuman strength that could have only come from one source.

Them.

Alice was knelt down by Jasper, Esme appeared bewildered and Carlisle was trying to eek closer to her without it being too obvious.

"What the hell is going on?" Rosalie demanded angrily, stalking into the room.

That was the final straw.

Bella turned and ran out the kitchen, onto the balcony. She vaulted the railings much to the horror of the vampires.

"How did she move that fast?" Emmett yelled.

Alice ran to the balcony and peered over but there was no sign of Bella. She had already fled.

-x-

It felt like she'd been running for ever. Somehow, it also felt like she'd only been running for a few seconds despite the vast distance she'd covered. Bella ran faster than any human could possibly run. She ducked branches, jumped bushes and didn't stop running until she reached the outskirts of Port Angeles.

She'd never felt under such a mental attack before and now she was away from the vampires, she felt better. Her head was clearer and the pain was gone for which she was very grateful. Jasper had sparked a reaction she didn't know she was even capable of having.

Half of her was terrified of having experienced something like that and the other half of her was just embarrassed. The first time she meets Edward's mother and siblings properly she'd basically had a panic attack and jumped off a balcony. It was incredibly embarrassing to think back on and she briefly wondered how easy it would be to avoid them.

_They're not going anywhere and I'm not breaking up with Edward..._

That wasn't going to work. Would they even want to see her after how she acted today? Bella groaned and ran a hand over her face.

_Couldn't have fucked up more if I'd tried._

The Cullens hadn't followed her. She was extremely relieved about that. An explanation for her actions wasn't really possible as she barely understood her own actions.

Bella took a moment to gather her thoughts and reach some level of calm before going to the place she'd been heading to before Alice had interrupted. It was one of the most popular bars in Port Angeles for college kids and as Bella expected was packed.

She spotted Lucas at the bar and made her way through the crowd, careful not to touch any of them. Physical contact with someone could push her over the edge and she was already teetering on the precipice.

Lucas was about five minutes away from landing a sure thing with a pretty but rather naive sorority girl when Bella walked over to him at the bar. He smiled at her but didn't look away from the chattering girl. Bella didn't feel like interrupting and was content to watch Lucas wrap the college student around his finger.

"Long Island Ice Tea, hold the soda," Bella said to the bartender.

"Sure thing."

Yes Bella looked a little out of it but she was a hot, young woman and that was more important to the bartender than ID. Her drink arrived and Bella knocked back a good amount.

The blonde was going on and on about a spring fete which she'd attended back at the Church in her home town and Lucas was doing his best to feign interest.

"And that was when I knew taking a vow of chastity was the right thing to do." The girl held up her hand, showing her promise ring.

A smile crossed Bella's face at the girl's words and she could imagine the alarm bells going off in Lucas's head.

"That is so interesting," he said.

His hand smoothly reached for Bella's behind his back and he tapped her palm twice.

"I'd like you to meet my wife, Kelly."

Lucas pulled Bella forward so she was standing beside him, his arm round her shoulders.

"Wife?" The blonde asked.

Luckily Bella didn't have to scramble for a response given the amount of times she'd played this role or similar to scare off girls for Lucas. She knew just what to say.

"He proposed in Junior High. What can I say? We just both knew it was right."

Bella smiled up at him like he was the most wonderful guy she had ever met. He knew that she'd done the job. Hope was fading from the blonde's eyes and she sighed.

"Thanks for keeping me company until she arrived," Lucas said politely.

"Okay."

The girl wondered off back to her friends and Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. Bella smirked and took another sip of her drink. She knew what she was going to do but it had to be handled carefully.

"Damn purity rings. Those Jonas Brothers have a lot to answer for."

"I didn't think a piece of jewellery and a vow to god would stop you," Bella said.

"Not worth the effort."

Clearly Lucas wasn't in the mood tonight. When he was, nothing stopped him from getting the object of his attention from ending up anywhere else but in his bed.

"I didn't think you'd be out yet."

It was the first time he was acknowledging what had happened to her. She just shrugged.

"Got bored at home."

"I can imagine. So you decided to come and have some fun with me? It's been a while since you did that."

There was something in Lucas' voice that made her wonder if he missed spending time with her. Or perhaps he regretted the things he had done which had pushed a wedge between them.

"It's been a while I had fun."

"Then I offer my services, my lady, to ensure that you have a night to remember."

Bella smiled, finding it difficult to refuse him.

"Okay then."

Lucas signalled to the bartender who came over. He ordered two shots of Tequila and handed one to Bella.

"To you!" Lucas toasted.

-x-

Bella raced up the stone steps and out onto the open rooftop of the old Church. The cool breeze felt good against her skin and she looked out at the view in amazement. She could see from the water to the forest depending on which direction she looked at.

Lucas followed her out from the stairway and paused as he watched her. He didn't understand her fascination with rooftops, with being up as high as she could possibly get. In New York with their vast array of sky high buildings, it had been near impossible to get her down. She'd spend hours on the rooftop of the Diocese of New York Cathedral, trying to put into words the sense of peace and calm that she felt when up there.

"I love this!"

Lucas smiled at her reaction. They'd knocked back shots and Bella had taken painkillers when she began to feel discomfort again. It had been similar to those nights they'd spent together before he had lost her trust. That's what was confusing him.

"Why are we here?" he asked.

"Why?"

The smile faded from her face as she realised Lucas was finally cutting to the chase. The fun was over and now was Q&A part of the night it would seem.

"You don't forgive or forget so easily. I know you."

Lucas knew there was a reason she was doing this. Bella had expected him to figure that out, she'd just wanted to see how he would act before that. If he would bring up the reason she'd sought him out.

"Maybe I've changed."

"No, that's not it. You haven't changed."

Bella sat down on the edge of the raised wall, her back to the drop from the rooftop.

"Nice to know I'm the same."

"That's not what I meant. You're strong but also stubborn. You won't back down and that's not going to change."

Something he said got Bella thinking. Another day and another person telling her she was strong.

"I'm getting sick of this. Of being told that I'm strong. Is it just because I haven't died yet? People think I'm strong just because no one has succeeded in killing me?"

"No." Lucas spoke firmly. "It's because despite everything you've been through, you still didn't break."

"I feel it though. I can feel how close I am to breaking and sometimes I want to. I want to break."

"If you break then they win," he told her. "Is that what you want?"

Bella stood up looking both angry and defiant at his words. That he wasn't concerned over her, just over what her breaking would mean for them all as a combative force.

"How long am I supposed to care?"

"Until the day you die."

Lucas knew that Bella's commitment was a lifelong one. From her birth to her death, she would be hunted and in turn fight against evil where she found it. When you were born into a family such as hers, you didn't get a choice.

Bella had to get a handle on her emotions. She hadn't even discussed the reason she was there with him yet and already she wanted to punch him. Twice.

"Tell me something..."

"Okay."

"Why did you kill Mallory?"

"You know why."

Bella had expected him to deny it. Honestly, she had wanted him to deny it. To be outraged that she would excuse him of something like that and be angry with her for even thinking it.

"Because he had tried to kill me?"

"Anyone who does you harm will meet the same fate. I promised your grandmother. She would have done the same."

"I will not have you committing murder in my name. If I wanted him to die then I would have done it myself."

"You are still recovering and honestly, you do not have the ruthlessness needed to remain alive by your own means."

"I can be ruthless. Do not doubt that for one moment." Bella warned him darkly.

"Would you have killed him?"

"If I had needed to."

Lucas didn't blame her. She was young and still technically a child. She could not be expected to deliver such deaths upon people. That's why he was there, to do what she couldn't.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't be worrying that you're going to come in and kill anyone at any moment. It's ridiculous."

"You act as if I'm a maniac with machete."

"How do I know that is not what you will become? Do I even want to know how many you've killed for me?" Bella ran a hand through her hair. "The more I learn about you the more I wish that I knew nothing."

"I have a job to do."

"A job I have never understood. What did my grandmother give you to keep you in such a service?"

Seeing Bella so upset was something he hated more than anything he'd ever felt before.

"It doesn't matter. I never intended to cause you distress, Bella, you have to believe that. I have only ever wanted to keep you safe but it is not an easy task."

Bella forced herself to blink back the tears she felt welling up in her eyes. He was putting everything she was trying to build in jeopardy and that couldn't be allowed. She couldn't let things fall apart here as they had done in New York.

"I want you to leave."

"Leave?"

"Leave Forks, leave the state. I'd actually prefer it if you left the country but I think I'm being a little too optimistic."

"I'm not going to leave," he told her.

It was the response she'd been expecting. She let her head drop; looking down at the cobbles she stood on rather than at him. For a moment Lucas thought she was crying. He stepped forward, closing the distance and that's when she struck.

Her punch was swift, hard and landed on its target. Lucas slumped to the ground out cold.

Bella stood there.

_I'm not coming back from this._

Turning her back on Lucas would be severing her last connection to New York and the life she'd had there. From this point on she really would be on her own.

"Bella?"

The voice was frantic and then a second later, he was standing there having emerged from the doorway.

"Edward?"

Before she'd even finished speaking, Edward had her in his arms and was hugging her close. He buried his face into her soft tresses and took deep breathes of that delicious, burn inducing scent.

"I was so worried about you."

The desperation with which Bella was grasping hold of him was as alarming as it was welcome. To feel that she needed him as much as he needed her was incredibly satisfying.

When Edward pulled back, needing to look at her, he saw that she was crying. His thumbs wiped the tears away and she did her best to stop anymore falling.

"What's wrong?"

"I keep doing it, I keep messing up."

"Messing up how?"

"Everything," Bella exclaimed. "Ever since I came here it's been one mistake after another and now I've ended up pissing off someone that I really shouldn't have."

She glanced to where Lucas lay, unconscious and wondered if he'd wake up having forgotten she punched him.

"Doesn't your hand hurt?" Edward enquired.

"No."

The mixture of alcohol and analgesics had left her feeling absolutely dandy from a physical point but she couldn't say the same about her emotional state. Not to mention what had happened at the Cullens' house, which she still couldn't make any sense off.

"Why did you hit him?"

"He's lucky I didn't do more," she hissed with venom which surprised Edward.

Up until this point he hadn't seen her angrier side. The true anger Lucas seemed to be a master at bringing out in her but few others could. It was because Lucas knew which buttons to push, exactly what to say to make her lose it.

"When I left the house tonight I wanted to kill him," Bella admitted to him and herself.

The way Bella spoke, soft and controlled scared Edward more than if she'd screamed the words. She was staring at the man with a mixture of anger and despair in her eyes.

"Will you?" He asked.

"No. Though I am tempted to leave him in a dumpster."

"I can arrange that."

Edward looked so serious that it made Bella burst out laughing at the idea of Lucas waking up in a dumpster the following morning. He was glad he'd made her laugh and brushed her hair back from her face with his hand.

"Don't kill him."

"I'm not planning to, not anymore."

Edward and Bella both wanted the same thing, to protect each other from the darkest within themselves.

"Can I leave him here?" Bella asked Edward.

Edward wanted to ask Bella so many questions about Lucas but right now he was just glad that she was okay. When his father had called him and explained what had happened that night with Bella he'd been furious with Alice and worried sick about Bella.

Honestly when it came to Lucas, Edward was confused. Clearly the man knew many of Bella's secrets, things she wasn't ready to tell Edward and it ignited feelings of jealousy he'd only known since meeting Bella. It was obvious that Bella had no romantic feelings for Lucas but the fact that he knew so much about her and her past was what was at the core of Edward's jealousy.

"I know what we can do," Edward told her.

-x-

Edward feared any hope of his sister and girlfriend becoming friends had vanished when he told Bella that Alice had covered for her with Charlie. It meant she didn't need to worry but also meant she couldn't go back home any time soon.

Bella was not yet ready to face the Cullens again so while Edward returned an unconscious Lucas to his hotel room, Bella waited for him. Given the night she'd had he didn't object to her waiting in a bar. He smelt the liquor on her and Lucas indicating they'd already drank a fair amount.

Again Bella sat at the bar and the same guy from before brought her the requested drink.

"Where's your friend?"

"Unconscious."

The bartender smirked. "Couldn't handle his drink?"

"Couldn't handle me."

As with most people, alcohol took away Bella's inhibitions but unlike some people, she could handle herself should she stumble into any unsavoury situations.

The guy refilled her drink on the house and she headed to the end of the bar away from where most people were to wait for Edward. He'd assured her he wouldn't be too long but if Lucas woke up he could be detained. She didn't want to think what would happen if Lucas did wake.

Lucas was as messed up as she was and what had happened with Scott at the motel had only served to make him more paranoid. He needed to find something else to focus his attention on instead of her. It just did not work for them to be in such close proximity.

"Pretty girl like you shouldn't be sat alone. Let me buy you a drink?"

It took Bella a full minute to even realise that anyone was there, let alone talking to her. She turned her head and found a normal looking guy standing there.

"No thanks.

"C'mon. Just one drink."

"I have a drink and I'm waiting for someone."

The guy tutted and shook his head. "The pretty ones are always taken."

Thankfully the guy did walk away leaving her be. Bella finished her drink and ordered another one. She'd just taken a sip of it when someone sat down beside her.

"I said I'm not-" Bella stood and smiled when she saw it was Edward. "Good. It's you."

"I should break his jaw."

Edward was staring at the man who had just spoken to Bella; married, much older and something of a creep.

"Because he asked to buy me a drink?"

"No because he called you pretty. That's an insult," he told her. "You're beautiful. Incredibly so."

"Your pick up skills are amazing."

Edward laughed, managing to drown out the voices around him and focus completely on her.

"I'm not trying to pick you up."

Her smile was both sweet and seductive. "You don't have to. I'm already yours."

She took another sip of her drink and flexed her hand down by her side; trying to get a feel for the flexibility she had given the injury. It was still pretty good meaning that Alice didn't hurt her too badly.

"And just so you know..." Bella leaned in closer to him. "Compliments aren't needed, I'm a sure thing."

Her forwardness surprised him and he was pretty sure it was the alcohol more than anything. Though thinking about it, there was the possibility that pushing to break off from Lucas, one of the few people from her old life, had made her feel alone. She needed to know that she wasn't alone.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers in a slow and sensual kiss that sent tingles through her. His mouth moved against hers in a sweet dance that not only soothed her but stirred the slowly building heat within her.

Edward pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. When he spoke, she could feel his sweet breath against her lips.

"I want to take you somewhere."

Bella smiled and nodded. If he wanted to take her somewhere then she would go.

* * *

A/N: I feel i should inform you all that only three chapters remain of I Don't Love Anyone though the sequel Velvet Crowbar will follow.

Thank you all for reading :)


	22. Chapter 20

A/N: I own nothing.

* * *

Bella kicked her shoes off and ran towards the waves lapping at the sandy shore like someone who had never seen a beach before. Her toes sunk into the grains and she squealed when the cold water enveloped her feet. She knew it would be cold but the iciness was unexpected.

"My god this is freezing!"

Despite her exclamation she didn't move back from the water. She'd always had mixed feelings about water. Fascinated and fearful in equal measure. It was why neither she nor Etta had ever learnt to swim. Both had experienced unnatural panic when the instructor had told them to get in the water at the pool. Neither sister had any explanation for their fear but their grandmother hadn't questioned it, instead just pulling them from the lessons.

Yet both sisters would spend hours staring at lakes and rivers. Quietly captivated by the stillness of the surface which hid the dark maelstrom below.

Bella may paddle into the sea so her feet were submerged but she wouldn't go any deeper than that.

Edward smiled, delighted at her carefree behaviour and obvious joy at being there. His idea of bringing her to Freshwater Bay had clearly been a good one. He had carried her there in his arms due to the difficulty of hiking to the destination.

"It is the Pacific Ocean," he reminded her.

Bella was sure she'd been to a beach before but she couldn't really remember it. Given her lack of memories she was glad that time was with Edward and she would make sure she remembered it forever.

The moonlight caused an ethereal shine on the beach and illuminated the sand underfoot. Bella ran back to him and jumped up to throw her arms around him. She felt absolutely no pain from any of her injuries. Whatever had happened at the Cullens house to erase her pain was still very evident now.

"Careful, love."

Her legs wrapped around his hips and he supported her with one hand across her back. She ran her nose along his jaw line, taking in his distinctive scent and relaxing in his hold.

Edward worried that one movement too many would rip her stitches, which he'd be able to smell, or hurt her wrist more. He knew about the injury of course, having been told by Alice after her phone call but he didn't want to mention it yet. Bella needed some relaxing time to clear her head before they faced the world again.

"I feel great. I'm so glad you brought me here. It's beautiful."

"It's peaceful and I hoped you would like it," he said with a smile. "I wanted to share this with you."

Holding Bella with one arm, he threw his own coat down to use as a blanket on the sand and sat down still with her wrapped around him. Her hand curled round the back of his neck and she licked her lips, itching to taste him again.

"Kiss me."

Edward claimed her lips while his hands travelled down her body and beneath the hem of her dress to caress her bare thighs. A shuddering moan left her body as his fingers explored her and he smiled against her mouth at the reaction.

Bella's hands were at the top of his shirt and he was so wrapped up in the feel of her that he didn't realise he was being undressed until her warm hands pressed against the smooth solidness of his chest. Her touch felt like a brand and he hissed at the incredible sensation.

"You're so hot."

Edward had meant temperature wise but smiled when she gave him a look, evidently thinking along different lines. They both laughed and he gave her three kisses in quick concession on her lips which kept her smiling. Her fingers touched every inch of his chest, effectively heating the skin she touched and causing a very unusual but welcome warmth for him.

His fingers trailed up her thighs until they reached the edge of her underwear. She took a deep breath and shivered as his fingers moved over the soft material, feeling the heat and warmth there. It was unimaginable for him and he was enjoying every moment of getting to be this intimate with her.

As much as he wanted to savour this moment, he seemed incapable of slowing down. The more he touched her, the less he was able to control his own desires and patience. Being touched and touching her were all he could focus on. Everything else was inconsequential.

"May I?" he asked when his fingers settled on the buttons of her dress and she nodded.

The top four buttons were undone and he pulled the dress open to uncover the white lace bra she wore beneath. Her fingers tangled in his hair when he lowered his head to taste the soft flesh encased in the material. She was left shuddering and gasping as he loved her with his mouth. Her nails were raking against his scalp as her legs tightened around his hips, rocking against him to gain the much needed friction.

"Edward please... touch me..."

Her breathless words were intermingled with pants and she was definitely begging him. It was strange to have this girl who was usually so composed and in control, pleading with him and being completely at his mercy. When he raised his head and his eyes locked with hers, he knew he was just as desperate as she was.

"Anything..."

Edward's fingers were back beneath her dress; they pushed under her panties and began stroking her. The soft wet heat he found was unlike anything he'd ever felt before and the desperate, needy moans he drew from her surged him on and his strokes were faster and harder.

Bella was gripping hold of him like he was a life preserve in the ocean. She didn't think anyone could ever pull these feelings from her, make her feel such pleasure. Her hand lessened its grip and moved down to the front of his jeans, pressing against the hardness there. Edward's eyes darkened further when she undid the button fly and slid her hand inside his jeans to grip him through his boxers. There wasn't enough room for her to actually move properly but she squeezed him rhythmically, hoping to make him feel as good as he was making her feel.

"The heat... my god Bella you're so soft..."

His fingers moved lower over her slick flesh and down to her opening. With a slow, measured push his index finger slid inside her. Her head fell forward to rest on his shoulder as she let out a slow moan at the feeling. Knowing that he was the first one to ever touch her like this, to feel her in such an intimate way only added to the extraordinariness of the moment.

Bella pushed down, wanting to feel more. His actions were cautious but hers weren't. She was craving more and would do anything to get that. His hand grasped her hip, stopping her moving.

"Slowly love, there's no rush," Edward told her.

"Please..."

When he pushed further into her, stroking her slowly and revelling in the fact that he was inside her, she started panting. His thumb moved to press against the bundle of nerves and she bit down on her lip, turning into a shuddering, gasping wreck in his arms.

"Oh, yes, god!"

The orgasm wracked her body and she bit down on his shoulder, teeth digging into the solid flesh. His eyes widened and he hissed, shocked beyond all measure at what she'd done. She'd bit him. A human had bit him, a vampire. It was ludicrous in some ways but it resonated with something deep within him.

"Oh, Bella!"

Her bite triggered his climax and wrapped in each other's embrace, they rode out the pleasure together. As she caught her breath, his finger slid from her body and he licked the wetness off them before she realised what he'd done. He needed to taste her but was unsure of what her reaction would be.

-x-

They were sat together on the sand, his arms encircling her in a tight embrace. Bella's dress was still a little damp after she had run into the ocean. It had been a joke on Edward's part; he never thought she would actually do it.

Edward's presence had made her brave and for a second, the water had been waist deep around her. She hadn't been scared though. She knew Edward wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She managed to spend just fourteen seconds in the water before Edward lifted her above the waves and carried her back to the sand. This was the most playful and relaxed she'd been since he'd met her and he was enjoying every moment. She'd been very careful to make sure none of the salt water get near her injuries.

Unfortunately he was very aware that they needed to go back sooner rather than later. Carlisle was very worried about Bella when Edward had left to find her. Esme had been fretting like the mother she was and it touched Edward how much she'd already become attached to his new mate.

Edward kissed her cheek, then her lips and stroked her hair back from her face.

"Are you ready to go back?"

It was the words that Bella knew were coming but weren't looking forward to hearing. Going back meant facing Edward's family again and she wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to do that again.

"I don't want to go back. Everything is perfect here."

"We can't stay here forever. I have to take you back eventually."

"Just not now."

Bella nuzzled her head into his shoulder. She didn't want to break the bubble surrounding the perfect time they were having. These moments had to be savoured in case they never happened again. Sitting there with Edward, she could forget that she'd nearly been killed. That she'd stumbled back into danger instead of escaping it.

"I wouldn't make you leave a place that makes you this happy unless I had to."

"I know that."

This was Edward's final chance to ask Bella what had happened between her and Lucas. He hated that she'd gone to see him again but knew there must be a good reason she'd done it. Bella had never spoken of him with fondness.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Edward asked.

"Joe Mallory didn't die the way that everyone thinks he did. He was murdered."

"Murdered?"

"By Lucas."

The surprise showed on Edward's face. Lucas hadn't even been a consideration for him since before Bella was injured. It made him wonder just how connected Lucas was with everything that was going on.

"Are you sure?"

"He admitted it to me," she murmured, wishing she'd never had to have this conversation.

Edward sighed. "I understand why you punched him."

"It starts with Mallory but where does it end? He could start targeting anyone he deems a threat."

"Do you really think he would do that?" he asked, wondering just how far this mysterious man would go.

"I didn't think he'd ever kill Mallory so I really don't know," Bella admitted feeling a little bemused.

"So you asked him to leave town?"

"I told him to."

"But you aren't sure that he will leave," Edward said having learnt to recognise when she was in doubt.

"He better. He knows not to push me."

Lucas knew the lengths Bella was willing to go to when it came to others but was unsure what she would be willing to do with him. Honestly, she didn't know how far she would go.

"We do have to go back."

Bella nodded and took one long look out at the ocean before looking to Edward and smiling. He got to his feet and held his hand out to Bella, helping her up.

"I'll bring you back here, I promise," Edward said which got a genuine smile from her.

"Let's go."

Edward's strong arms enveloped her and she closed her eyes, leaning into the crook of his neck. Then it felt like they were flying.

-x-

Bella was wearing Edward's jacket when they walked across the Cullens territory towards the house. It was cold and he was worried that between that and the cold water she could get sick. That was the last thing that Bella needed, to get a cold or flu.

Edward had stopped running some distance away, giving her a chance to collect herself before they went in. She was nervous but doing her best to hide her anxiety.

"It'll be okay," he said with a smile.

"I wish I shared your confidence."

Bella was more nervous going back there with Edward than she had been about the first meeting. After how she had acted and what had happened before, surely they would think her crazy and far too unstable to be with Edward.

Edward led Bella up the steps to the door at the back of the house. He entered and she pushed down that small part of her, which sounded surprisingly like Etta, which was telling her to run for it.

"We're back," Edward said.

He spoke at normal volume but knew that everyone in the house would be able to hear him without problem.

"Bella!"

The exclamation was immediately followed by a small hurricane that flew at Bella and hugged her fiercely. Edward went to move between them but something in Alice's thoughts stopped him.

"I was so worried about you."

"Alice, maybe you shouldn't..."

Carlisle had followed and was concerned that Alice's enthusiasm may make Bella more uncomfortable. Alice had been beside herself with worry after what had happened. Especially not being able to see if Bella was okay or if Edward had found her.

"I'm okay," Bella said when Alice released her.

"I'm very glad you came back. We were all very worried about you," Carlisle told her.

"What happened?" Alice asked.

"Alice!"

Edward wasn't going to let his sister pressure Bella into sharing anything that she didn't want to. He wanted her to feel safe and comfortable in his home, not like she was facing the Spanish Inquisition.

"I think we would all be interested to learn what happened," Carlisle said calmly.

Before Edward could object any further, Alice jumped in with what she had learnt from Jasper.

"Jasper said you pushed the emotion back at him. That he'd never felt anything like it."

"That's what I tried to do. I didn't know if it would work or not."

Bella had never had to do anything like that before. The wall she'd somehow had since birth had always protected her from telepaths and similar psychics.

"You didn't know?" Carlisle asked.

"I've never done that before. What I did was purely instinctual," Bella admitted shifting awkwardly where she stood.

"What do you mean?"

Bella was definitely not comfortable discussing this with Edward's family but then again she couldn't imagine really being comfortable telling anyone.

"I haven't been given much training about what I can or can't do. My grandmother only had a few months before she died to teach me and I didn't find it easy."

"Why such a small amount of time?" Alice asked.

"I never told her that I could..."

Bella stopped and closed her eyes for a moment. She didn't have to finish though; they understood where she was going. She'd never told her grandmother about her abilities.

"I kept quiet. I was too scared say anything," Bella finished.

"Why?"

While Bella understood that she had to explain her gifts to them, her family was a different matter. Etta wasn't someone she discussed with anyone, not even Charlie.

"I saw what happened to my sister when she told people what she could do. They thought she was crazy. Deranged. I didn't want anyone looking at me like that."

Alice looked bemused, close to tears if that had been a possibility. Edward was shocked, torn between processing what he had just discovered and comforting Bella. He had no idea that Bella had a sister; she'd never said anything to suggest having siblings.

"You have a sister?" Edward asked.

"Had a sister. She died when I was thirteen."

It was those looks. The looks of pity and sympathy she was getting from Edward, Carlisle and Alice. That was what she hated about telling people about Etta.

"She had abilities like you?" Carlisle asked gently.

"They were much stronger. She'd go up to a woman, a complete stranger and tell her she was sorry about her husband's death. The things she'd say would terrify teachers. They thought she was unstable. Etta spent more time in hospitals and psychiatric wards than she did at home with us. She lost it... killed herself."

Edward couldn't think clearly for a minute. The blanket of sheer horror that was coming from his family's thoughts was almost deafening. Carlisle was going down a path of thought that Edward found highly disturbing and did not approve of at all.

"Have you ever been under the care of a mental health physician?" Carlisle enquired.

"About a dozen. None of them have ever been any help."

Edward really wanted to ask more questions. To find out why she had been sent to see them in the first place and why she'd seen so many different psychiatrists. That wasn't normal. Bella looked at him and when her blue eyes met his golden ones, he knew that she understood. He'd ask questions and she would answer them but not right now.

"Was your sister even given a diagnosis?" Carlisle asked.

"Several different ones that made no sense at all. She wasn't crazy, not really. Anyone who had to deal with what she did would find it hard to cope."

-x-

Emmett didn't understand how Bella could be a psychic and not be aware of what she could do. It seemed ludicrous to him and Bella had to agree. Her abilities would grow with her which Carlisle said was normal from what he knew.

Bella tried to explain what had happened when Jasper attempted to alter her emotions but it was difficult. Jasper had promised not to do that again and she'd thanked him. She knew he wasn't trying to do her any harm, only calm her down.

Carlisle had splinted her wrist after that and checked the stitches. He said she was healing well but had to be careful not to do anything which could further damage her.

Edward took Bella into the living room and they sat together talking for a while. He was glad that his siblings realised that his mate needed some time to get used to everything and didn't bother them. Esme was already planning on asking Edward what Bella's favourite foods were so that she could have them in the cupboards for when she visited in the future.

Bella slept for a few hours on a couch in the living room at Edward's insistence. When she woke up she was surprised to find that her legs ached quite a bit. Carlisle pointed out that it was probably from where she'd jumped off the balcony.

Edward drove Bella home where they spent the day together. He was the perfect gentleman when Charlie got home from work, declining to stay for dinner as his parents expected him home. Charlie wanted the weekend to be family time after what had happened which was fair enough. Of course Charlie had no idea that Edward spent every night in Bella's room with her.

On Saturday, Charlie took Bella down for a little gathering on the beach in La Push. Lots of people were going to be there and Charlie wanted Bella to meet them. It didn't sound like fun but Bella agreed. She wanted to spend time with Charlie and if he wanted that time to be with his friends at the beach then so be it.

Sue greeted Bella warmly as did Seth. However Sue's daughter Leah didn't even acknowledge Charlie or Bella much to her mother's annoyance. Seth whispered to Bella that Leah was sulking as her boyfriend hadn't responded to her last four text messages.

Being at the beach, Bella couldn't help but think of when she and Edward had gone to Freshwater Bay. It had been one of the best nights of her life, ignoring the earlier part with Lucas of course.

Jacob was very pleased that Bella was there and he introduced her to his friends who were all very nice. None of them mentioned the attack or gave her weird looks for which she was very pleased.

"Is it true you're dating Edward Cullen?"

The guy's question, Quil she thought his name was, came out of nowhere and Bella was taken aback.

"Where did you hear that?" Bella asked.

"His dad." Quil pointed to Jacob.

"Uhh, Charlie told Billy that you were dating him," Jacob said looking embarrassed. "Sorry. I should have warned you they gossip like teenage girls."

Bella was surprised to hear that Charlie would do that. Who else had he told? He'd come across as a private person so telling Billy, a man she barely knew about her love life was odd.

"It's fine and yes I am dating Edward," Bella told them.

There was a number of strange and pointed looks exchanged by the Quileute's which Bella didn't understand. Jacob was avoiding looking at anyone, just staring down at the sand.

"As long as they don't come here."

Quil elbowed the guy beside him who had spoken and muttered something under his breath. This was beginning to make Bella feel rather uncomfortable and she was regretting agreeing to this.

"What! Cullen's a freak!" the older guy said.

"You got that right!"

"So you know them?" Bella asked, managing not to sound as angry as she felt.

"The Cullens don't come here," he said sharply.

-x-

When Jacob asked Bella if she wanted to go for a walk she agreed; only because she wanted to ask why everyone seemed to have an issue with the Cullen's.

"What did your friend mean before about the Cullens?" Bella asked.

"That? Oh, nothing."

Jacob did his best to laugh it off but that only made Bella more curious and determined to find out the truth. He was going to kill them for being such jerks when he got back.

"Didn't sound like it was nothing."

"I don't want to say."

Bella forced down the overwhelming urge she had to slap him. Why was this so difficult? He was deliberately being evasive which might have dissuaded anyone else but not Bella.

"Just tell me."

"It's stupid."

Bella gave him a look that clearly said she wasn't going to back down until he told her. He sighed, annoyed that he was going to tell the girl he fancied what was basically an urban legend.

"It's just an old scary story. Did you know the Quileutes are supposedly descended from wolves?"

"Wolves? I didn't know that."

That actually wasn't the strangest thing she'd ever heard. She knew lots of tribes had stories like that. A lot of them though while fascinating were just that, stories.

"How does that fit in with the Cullens?" Bella asked.

"They're supposedly part of an 'enemy clan' but they claimed to be different... so, a treaty was made."

"A treaty?"

The tribe must have deeply believed this if they'd gone to the lengths of making a treaty.

"They stay away from our land and in return we don't expose them to the humans."

There was no way Bella could ignore the way he said humans. Like he wasn't counting himself amongst them. Could it be nothing? Given the secrets this town had she couldn't be sure.

"You know how weird that sounds right?"

Jacob laughed. "Yeah, I know. It's just a story anyway."

Charlie called out to Bella from where everyone else was and she looked round, acknowledging him. He didn't like having her out of sight or too far away and she was going along with it.

"Coming!"

"I'll catch up," Jacob said.

Bella nodded and started to walk back to Charlie. She paused though and looked back to Jacob.

"The Cullens only just moved here last year," she said.

"Or just moved back."

Bella tried not to look as uncomfortable as she felt when she walked back to her uncle. The whole day had left her feeling very unsettled and she felt eager to get back home.

-x-

Bella wasn't nervous this time when she walked up the steps to the front door of the Cullens house. She was determined and honestly, a little confused.

"Bella!"

The front door opened and Alice bounced out, smiling happily. She hugged Bella quickly and pulled the girl indoors.

"You came to see me!"

"Not just you, Alice," Bella said with a smile. "Is your family here?"

"Most of them. Carlisle is at work. Is that it? Do you need a doctor?" Alice's expression turned grave.

"No. I'm fine."

Bella followed Alice into the lounge where Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper were watching a sporting event on TV. Bella was pretty sure it was baseball but had no clue what teams were playing.

"Can't stay away can you Bells. Edward's a lucky boy," Emmett said with a wink to her.

"Ignore him," Alice said to Bella.

"Want to watch the game?" Emmett asked and turned to Rosalie. "Shift over babe."

"Excuse me?" Rosalie arched an eyebrow.

"I actually have a question," Bella said to Alice more than anyone. "Do you have some kind of treaty with the Quileutes?"

The TV was muted and when Bella glanced round, they were all staring at her. A second later Rosalie was a standing so close to Bella that for the first time around them, Bella was concerned.

"What do you know about the treaty?" Rosalie asked though it wasn't much more than a hiss.

"Take a step back and I'll tell you."

Bella wasn't going to let Rosalie intimidate her even though the blonde could rip her limb from limb in a microsecond. With an exaggerated sigh, Rosalie took a step backwards.

"Can you go and get Edward and Esme, they should be here for this?" Alice asked Jasper who nodded.

Jasper was gone a second later and Rosalie stalked back to the couch and sat down.

"Where are they?" Bella asked.

"Edward was helping Esme clear some rocks or trees down by the river. She wants to have a deck area for painting."

A yell from Emmett at the TV screen caused Bella to jump a little and Alice shot a glare at her brother. Rosalie just smirked. She wasn't even attempting to hide her dislike for the human girl.

"Do they really know what you are?" Bella asked Alice.

"It's not as simple as that."

Before Bella could say anything else, the door leading to the terrace opened and Edward came in. Despite Jasper telling him that Bella was fine, he was still concerned that something bad had happened.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward asked.

"Do the Quileutes know that you're vampires?" Bella asked flatly.

Edward quickly found out what had transpired thanks to his siblings thoughts.

"The Elders know. No one else though. That's the agreement," Edward answered.

"How did you find out about the treaty?" Esme asked.

Bella explained about the little gathering on the beach; what the teenagers from the reservation said about them and Bella's own discomfort being around them. Then she told them about Jacob's story. That was when Emmett got pissed.

"Black? He should know better! He broke the treaty!"

"Emmett, please."

Esme did her best to settle her son but he wasn't the only one who was annoyed. Rosalie looked thunderous and Emmett jumped up, starting to pace.

"He basically told her what we were!" Emmett said.

"The boy didn't know what he was saying. He said it himself, he thought it was just a story," Esme countered.

"And we're just supposed to let it go?" Rosalie asked.

"What do you suggest? A fight?" Jasper asked with a sever look to the other blonde.

"They need to know they can't just go around spilling our secrets to anyone who asks."

"Rosalie, stop it. We're not going to do anything until Carlisle has been informed," Esme told them.

"He won't want to do anything. He'll do anything to avoid causing animosity with the wolves."

Everyone was so wrapped up in trying to figure out what to do next that they had half forgotten about Bella. She spun round and walked out the room before she did or said something she regretted.

"Bella?"

She ran down the steps and headed to her car. Edward was close behind her and despite wanting to; he didn't grab her arm to stop her. That was how Alice had hurt her.

"Bella, wait!"

"For what? For you to finally tell me the whole story?" Bella asked, not holding back her anger.

The full extent of her anger hit her like a punch to the gut. It caught her off guard completely. She'd really started to trust them and now she felt let down.

"I was going to tell you."

"When? You knew Charlie was friends with them. That I was going there and you said nothing."

"Only the Elders know and not even all of them believe what we are. Most of the Quileutes are oblivious and have no idea about the legends. I had no idea that any of them would react like that."

"You should have warned me."

Bella felt like she'd been sent into enemy territory without any warning or information to help her. If Edward had told her then at least she would have been prepared.

"I'm going home. Do not follow me."

"Please Bella, I'm sorry," Edward said stepping forward.

"They are the closest thing you have to enemies here and I spent the day at the world's most awkward beach barbecue with them."

"I didn't think there was any need to say anything. There's never been any trouble."

Edward was getting annoyed. Bella had a lot of secrets and there were things she wouldn't tell him about and her reaction to this seemed more than a little over the top.

"You keep a hell of a lot from me," Edward said.

"Yes I do but I wouldn't let you go to a place where enemies of mine would be without warning."

That's what got to Bella. If she knew that Edward would be anywhere near someone or something that was a threat to her or those around her then she would do whatever she could to warn him and protect him. When it came to things like that she didn't keep secrets. If Bella had thought Lucas was a threat to Edward or his family then she would have told them immediately.

"I am trying really hard to trust you and to open up but when things like this happen it scares me. They know we're together. What if one of them said something to Charlie? Something I couldn't explain? What if Billy had said something?"

"I'm sorry Bella, I should have said something."

"Yeah," she sighed, not knowing what else to say. "I'm going home."

* * *

Thank you for reading!


	23. Chapter 21

A/N: I own nothing but i do run a little group on FB for this story and its upcoming sequel. #!/groups/135627096626276/

* * *

Going back to school was an exercise in self control for Bella. To control the anxiety she felt walking in the school that first morning. Then to control her annoyance which quickly turned to anger over the reactions from her classmates. Though mainly it was controlling her desire to hide at home or just run away from everything. Run away from Forks High and the terror that filled Bella whenever she thought of that place.

The fact that it was she who was attacked wasn't supposed to be common knowledge but of course it was. From the moment she left her car in the parking lot she was on the receiving end of looks, glances and downright staring.

No one approached her to speak to her. In fact as she walked closer, they backed off. By the end of the morning lessons Bella was starting to feel like she was a leper. That she'd been diagnosed with a highly contagious disease everyone was terrified of catching.

Edward was still respecting her wishes and giving her space but she knew he was watching her. Watching everything she did down to the smallest movement. It drove her crazy and didn't help her to maintain her resolve to give herself time and space away from Edward.

Alice was ignoring Bella's request to be left alone and doing everything she could to support her friend. It was for Edward's benefit too. If he couldn't be with her then Alice would make sure she was okay. Despite their efforts though, it was Bella who had to face everything.

Even teachers were treating her strangely.

Being stabbed was supposed to best the worst thing. You weren't supposed to suffer weeks afterwards when you were trying to put your life back together. Especially at the hands of your teachers and fellow students at school.

Bella was sat on the faded blue carpet in the library at the back of the stacks. The library wasn't the most popular place and Bella had never known anyone come this far back.

"Bella?"

Until now apparently. She turned her head and saw Angela peering round one of the corners.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Hesitantly, Angela walked over and sat down on the floor a little way from Bella.

"Everyone else acts afraid of me."

It would have been funny had it not been so absurd. She was the victim and yet she was being avoided like she was dangerous. Did they expect her to suddenly snap and attack classmates and teachers?

"They don't know how to react Bella. Nothing like this has ever happened and to think... Lauren's father..." Angela shook her head. "I still can't believe it."

"You can never really know what people are hiding."

Angela was trying to make sense of this just like everyone else. She may not have been directly involved but it was scary for her. She'd lived in the town, gone to the same school as the man's daughter. Lauren and her mother were still in hiding and no one expected her to return to school any time soon.

"Can I ... is it okay if I ask you something?" Angela asked.

"Go ahead."

Anyone else, Bella would have told to go to hell but this was Angela. It dawned on her then that Bella considered her a friend.

"When he... during ... were you scared?"

"I didn't have a chance to be scared. All that mattered was that I had to survive."

Before, she'd been scared. When she'd realised someone was there in the house with her but during the actual fight, she hadn't been afraid. All she had been concentrating on was stopping Mallory from killing her. She didn't have the time to be afraid.

The way that Bella answered it, with calmness that hinted at experience and awareness made Angela wonder if this wasn't the first traumatic event that Bella had gone through.

"Have you ever been through something like... that before?" Angela asked though she didn't look like she wanted to know the answer.

For once Bella didn't think. She just went with it and answered the question.

"When I was four years old... there was a party or a gathering or something. At this point I can't remember what the occasion was but there were more people than usual at the house. I woke up and something made me go downstairs. Everyone was dead, including my mother."

Angela was definitely regretting asking Bella that question. She looked horrified by what she was hearing but didn't regret asking her. This explained a lot about Bella.

"I'm so sorry."

Anyone else would have instantly grilled Bella about that night but not Angela. She knew that revealing what she had was a huge step for Bella and maybe one day in the future she would ask a small question, but not today.

"It was a long time ago. I've dealt with it."

By dealt Bella of course meant she buried deep in the back of her mind so she wouldn't have to think of it or discuss it. Definitely not healthy but the only way she knew how to deal.

"You should go. Don't want people to think you're associating with me."

"I would never avoid you over something so ridiculous. What happened to you was terrible and in no way your fault."

Angela was definitely one of the sweetest people in the town. Bella had a sudden urge to get her out of there before the darkness in the place corrupted her.

-x-

Monday was sheer hell. Tuesday wasn't much better and Bella couldn't see Wednesday being much better, either. Tuesday evening, she was contemplating the merits of home schooling when she heard a soft knock on her bedroom window.

She knew it was Edward and a thought struck her. Bella slipped her shoes on and grabbed her jacket before heading for the window. She opened it wider and leaned through.

"Hi," Edward said.

"Feel like springing me?"

Edward smiled. "Of course."

Bella climbed through the window and Edward had her in his arms at the first available opportunity. He'd seen how unpleasant the last few days had been for her and would do anything to make her happy.

"Where to?"

"Ummm... your house," Bella answered much to his surprise.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to go there with you."

There was no chance that Edward was going to refuse her. If she wanted to go there then he would do everything he could to make sure that it was a positive experience.

Edward ran them out of town and towards the house. Bella was still getting used to running so he stopped as soon as he thought it was best so they could walk.

"I want to apologise. I should have told you about the Quileutes," Edward said.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I just panicked and did what I've always done."

Bella didn't want to let what had had happened hang over them. She wanted to be with Edward and enjoy their time together.

"I never imagined it would be brought up."

"Really, it's fine. In the grand scheme of things it's not important," she said with a smile.

Bella knew that she may have overreacted. Being in a relationship was new to her and she was liable to panic easily. It was definitely not worth pushing Edward away for. She was going to Edward's house to show him how committed to their relationship she was.

They headed into the house and Edward was surprised by how quiet he found it. Esme was in the dining room arranging some flowers and that's where Edward took Bella.

"Bella, what a wonderful surprise."

There was something completely perfect about Esme. That thought struck Bella as she stood there staring at this woman.

"Bella?" Edward asked when she didn't respond.

"It's like coming face to face with Snow White."

Edward laughed at Bella's comment. It was completely true and something the family had all said or thought at some moment or another. There was definitely a fairy tale quality about Esme.

"You are so sweet."

Esme was round the table and embracing Bella before the human realised she'd moved. Bella returned the embrace, finding it strangely comforting for a reason that she couldn't quite place.

Edward couldn't hold back his smile. Seeing Bella being so accepting of his mother so quickly was more than he could have hoped for.

"Does Charlie know you're out this late?"

"Mom..." Edward said.

"There are some things that Charlie is better off not knowing," Bella told her.

"Hmm, you may be right. Just make sure that you are home before he wakes up."

"That's the plan."

Edward took Bella off a tour of the house. With his siblings otherwise occupied he didn't have to be concerned about sharing her. He pointed out various rooms and who they belonged to but he was impatient to take her to his own room.

When Bella walked in, she stopped and looked around in wonder. Two of the walls were completely glass and looked out onto the forest that surrounded the house. Stacks of books were dotted around and the largest wall that wasn't glass was devoted to his music collection.

"This is you... this is a room of you."

Edward laughed. He walked over and kissed her, knowing exactly what she meant. He wondered if he'd ever stop being amazed by her reactions and acceptance of him.

-x-

When Edward asked Bella if she would be interested in a game of Chess, she surprised him by asking if he had the game Go. He hadn't played it in years but was happy to find it and accept her challenge.

It was a new experience for Edward; to play against someone whose mind was completely closed to him. He had to rely on skill and tactics, something he quickly discovered he was lacking in this game.

After Bella thoroughly thrashed Edward at Go, she played him at Chess. He was victorious though wouldn't admit to Bella or his siblings that it was a narrow victory.

Bella was surprised at how much she enjoyed spending time with Edward at his home and with his family. Her fears had been unfounded which was a wonderful change for her. Esme made sure Edward took Bella home before Charlie would wake and Bella promised to go back.

As lovely as the night had been, Bella knew her day at school would not be as pleasant. That was confirmed when she found a note taped to her locker asking her to meet with the guidance counsellor. She hadn't even known the school had a guidance counsellor.

Katherine was the counsellor's name and Bella felt more ambushed by her than anyone. Not in a physical sense but in a way that made Bella sure she should have been preparing for days if not weeks for this little introductory session.

"I wanted to say hello to you after you arrived, I like to do that with all new students, but I just haven't had the chance. Of course you've had a rather hectic time yourself, haven't you?"

The way Katherine spoke, Bella didn't know whether she should respond or not. She didn't want to say anything to this woman at all.

"I've had a look at your file but it doesn't say anything about you. Bella. The young woman."

There was a good reason for that. It was exactly how Bella had wanted it, the same with the file her psychiatrist had received. Certain information had been omitted.

"So, tell me all about you," Katherine said with a smile.

Bella was sure that Katherine thought she was being friendly but all it did was make her anxious.

"What do you want to know?"

"Whatever you want to tell me."

_I will not slap her. I will not slap her. Damn I want to slap her._

Bella grasped her hands tightly together, hoping that her face was still portraying the calm and relaxed expression she'd been going for. This woman could make things tricky for her at school.

"I'm wondering why you wanted to talk to me exactly," Bella told her after some consideration.

"You have been through a lot and I wanted you to know that I'm here to talk to you. To help you cope."

"There is someone I talk to."

Telling Katherine that she was seeing a psychiatrist wasn't what she really wanted to do. That could just pique her interest more and make Katherine think that Bella was the kind of student who could do with a weekly appointment.

"I'm glad to hear that but you can never have too many people to share your feelings with."

"I'm a very private person. I don't feel comfortable sharing my feelings. Especially with strangers."

Bella didn't have it in her to be courteous and amenable. Any other time maybe she would have but not today. Being killed was not an opening to acquire new patients or however this woman thought of the students she spoke with.

"We're not strangers though anymore. We're getting to know each other and I think you and I could be friends."

"I understand that you're doing your job but I don't think this is something I need."

"You don't always know what you need."

_I will not kill this woman. I will not kill this woman. _

Katherine was trying too hard to be friendly and as a result it came across very fake. She seemed to be spouting affirmations she'd read in a 'How To' manual.

"I think I can help you," Katherine said.

"I have people around me that can help, thank you."

Bella said that as firmly as she could but still respectfully. This woman had to realise that she wasn't needed or wanted. It would make things even more complicated and Bella's life was already very complex.

"The principle thinks that the two of us regularly talking and sharing ideas would be a good idea."

"Well perhaps the principle should have spoken to me first. Have I acted in some way to worry him?"

"No Bella, not at all. We're just trying to be as supportive as possible. What happened to you is terrible."

"And I am dealing with it. I am but I'm doing it my own way."

This wasn't going to become a regular thing. Bella refused to let that happen. There was no need for her to see a guidance counsellor and a psychiatrist; it would be a ridiculous waste of time.

-x-

Edward caught up with Bella as she headed out to the parking lot at lunch. It was cloudy and looked seconds away from raining so most of the students were inside.

"What's wrong?"

"If I kill the guidance counsellor will you help me dispose of the body?" Bella asked.

"You're joking right?"

"I guess."

Bella wouldn't stoop to Lucas's level of just eliminating an issue instead of dealing with it properly. Right then though as she thought back over the exchange she'd just had with Katherine, it was damn tempting.

"Bella?"

Edward used his speed to move in front of her and blocked her path. He needed her to slow down and talk to him. He'd given her as much space as he could but he'd reached his limit.

"Don't block me out."

Bella sighed, running a hand through her hair. It was something she did when she was anxious; Edward had very quickly picked up on that. He stepped forward and slid his arm round her waist, gently pulling her to him. She let him embrace her and rested her head on his chest.

"I hate this is so hard for you."

This wasn't something that Edward could fix of her. He couldn't make those around them treat her normally again; to stop them staring and whispering like she was the one at fault.

"I thought this was over. I thought it would be different here."

"This will stop, I promise. Humans are easily distracted and sooner than you think something new will happen. The attention will shift from you."

Edward led Bella over to where his car was. He would text Alice and ask that she take Bella's car back home. Right now he just wanted to take Bella away from school to somewhere that would help her feel calm.

"Where are we going?"

"Away from here."

They got into the car and Edward drove out of the lot and down the highway. A couple of skipped classes were the last thing on their minds as they left town.

Bella didn't pay attention on the drive. Edward seemed to be heading somewhere specific so she just let him drive. As long as she was with him, she didn't really care where he was taking her. Bella didn't realise that would change when they arrived.

Edward had come to the conclusion that he had to do something radical to get through to Bella. It was unhealthy for her to keep everything bottled up and she was reaching breaking point. She needed to tell someone what was happening, what she was trying so hard to deal with by herself.

This may be extreme and harsh but if it worked then it could really help Bella. She didn't have to carry the burden alone and that's what Edward needed her to understand.

When the car came to a stop, Edward got out and Bella did the same.

"Wait..."

Looking around, Bella's stomach dropped. The car was parked on the side of the road and trees lined both sides. A very familiar road with familiar trees. Edward was heading to the thickest tree line and she went after him.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me."

That was it? Just trust him? She stood there by the car for a moment trying to figure out what to do. Stay there or follow?

"Damn it!"

Bella followed after him.

It only took her a moment to catch up to him. This time finding it much easier to traverse the area in daylight. Edward led her down a steep path which meant she didn't have to roll down the incline like she'd done on her previous excursion.

At a particular tricky part, Edward lifted her into his arms and carried her down the remaining way. He placed her down gently, his fingers brushing her hair back as he watched her. Specifically he watched the way that her eyes locked onto the lake.

"I'm not going to leave you," he promised.

She looked scared. Something that Edward wasn't used to seeing. Even if she was scared she wasn't the kind of person to let it show. Being there by the lake, the one she'd told him about, she was terrified.

Beneath the fear she could feel the pull. Dark energy has its own familiar taste, one she recognised well. It was there on the periphery, teasing her and calling to her. Willing her to come and explore. To find the source and the answers she sought.

Darkness wasn't bitter or sour. It was closer to rich elegance. The finest wine, the best cuts of meats, the most opulent deserts.

Edward seemed to realise she was drifting and cupped her face with his hands, making her look at him.

"Tell me."

Bella had told him the basic story of what had happened. Three young women had gone missing and she'd uncovered one of the bodies but he knew she'd held things back. Especially about the night she'd been at this lake with Lucas and Adam.

"This is where they were brought. This is where those girls were killed."

It was the days after that night at the lake that Bella realised why she and Adam had been brought there.

The sight of their death.

"I was taken to a body and Adam was brought here." She turned so she was looking directly at the lake. "I can almost see it."

"See it? The murder?"

Bella walked briskly over to the edge of the lake, kneeling down and touching the dirt with her hands. The body had left an impression in the ground. Not a physical one visible to the human eyes but one that Bella felt as surely as Edward felt the ground beneath his feet.

"Her body lay here... she looked up at the stars as he cut her."

With every second that past she was sinking deeper and deeper into the maelstrom of energy. It was giving her answers but it wasn't going to give without taking.

"Bella how do you know this?"

"I'm remembering it."

"You weren't alive let alone here to witness it."

She was starting to alarm him. Bella was recalling the murder and that knowledge had to come from somewhere. That's what alarmed him more than Bella's behaviour and actions.

"I can't see who it was."

_The body lay before her, white blouse soaked in blood, the liquid gleaming in the moonlight. A hand reaching toward to the girl's face, the fingers closing her eyes._

When Bella closed her own eyes, the scene played out before her. The figure crouched down over the girl's body. His back was to Bella though and his face hidden.

"Show me your face."

She screamed at the figure as if that would somehow make it turn and reveal its face to her. Only she was screaming at nothing. The images were in her mind.

"Bella stop it, come back. You need to end this."

Bella had told him herself that she had no idea what she was capable off. What the full extent of her gifts were. She could go too far and have no clue how to stop it.

Edward stepped over to where she knelt and pulled her up by her shoulders. She was staring so intently at nothing. It made him fearful for what she was seeing. How could he reach her? With Alice it was possible to have conversations while she had visions though on occasion it could take a few seconds to get her back. It wasn't going to be that simple that Bella.

His hands grasped tighter at her shoulders and shook her. He tried to be gentle but he was worried for her and was beginning to panic that he wouldn't be able to get her back.

Edward released her; concerned that he was going to hurt her. She sunk to the ground as the fight left her body. Bella had always been pale, but her skin had lost all colour now.

"I can't feel anything."

"What do you mean?"

"My legs... my body. I can't feel anything."

Edward knelt down in front of her. He was prepared to stay with her as long as she needed him to. Her breathing was very shallow and her heart beat slower than normal but it was her eyes he focused on. Her eyes would tell him when she was back.

"It can't hurt you," Edward told her. "Remember that love, it can't hurt you."

Bella reached for him and he took hold of her fiercely, crushing her to his chest with relief. He'd never been scared like this before. It took a lot to harm a vampire but with Bella so much could. There was a million different ways she could get taken from him.

When Bella moved to try and get to her feet, Edward jumped up and helped her. She needed to get away from the lake as quickly as possible. Being in its proximity was making her feel sick.

Edward lifted her into his arms, holding her securely to his chest. Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. A second later he was running.

-x-

Bella was walking at such a slow pace she was sure it was greatly annoying Edward but he didn't say anything. The nausea had left her quickly once they were away from the lake but another sensation remained. She felt like she had tiny insects crawling over her skin.

It was driving her crazy.

"No, Bella."

For the third time in as many minutes, Edward pulled her hand away from her arm where she'd been attempting to rake her nails over the skin to stop the itching. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

"Can vampires even feel itches? Is that possible?"

Edward laughed which made her smile. He was good at getting her mind off unpleasant things.

"Will you come to the house?" Edward asked.

Bella thought for a moment before nodding. She wanted Edward to see that she was still trying. After what had happened, going to the house sounded lovely.

"Yes."

Edward was about to suggest that he run them back to his house when his cell phone rang. It was Alice's number on the screen when he looked.

"Maybe she's seen our decision and wants to steal you," he suggested.

Their friendship was developing and as a result, Bella's defences had started to lower. Alice was beginning to get impressions of her future which might not be ideal but to the vampire it was better than nothing.

"Alice is a sweetheart. I find it hard to refuse her," Bella admitted with a smile.

"Don't we all," Edward said then answered. "Alice?"

The smile quickly left his face as he listened to his sister. She spoke to fast for Bella to have any chance of overhearing but Edward got every word. He stepped closer to Bella, his free arm moving to her back.

"Edward?"

"Okay. Yes."

Edward hung up, his eyes locked on Bella as if he feared she would vanish before his eyes.

"What is it?" Bella asked.

Whatever could make Edward look as worried as he did now had to be very serious. She almost hadn't wanted to ask the question in the first place.

"Alice had a vision. Nomads are close."

"Nomads?"

"Vampires. Nomadic ones."

"How close?" Bella asked.

"We need to run."

Normally nomads wouldn't be something to really concern Edward. His family had come across them before. This time it was very different. He'd never had a human with him. A human he loved more than he could remember ever loving anyone or anything.

Ideally Edward would have put Bella on his back and ran with her as he could run faster that way; but with the healing wound to her abdomen, it could have ripped the stitches which were the worst thing that could happen. Edward held her against his chest and started running, needing to hold her close to him and in his arms.

Bella was still getting used to Edward running with her. This speed was definitely a lot faster than she'd experienced. She felt sick again instantly and her head was spinning.

Edward hissed and Bella could feel his chest vibrating with the building growl. Something was angering him.

It was impossible to tell how much ground they'd covered. Bella was keeping her eyes firmly shut knowing that otherwise she would feel a lot worse. She wanted to know what was happening; she wanted to ask Edward why he was angry.

Then they stopped. Bella opened her eyes as Edward let her down, but his arms remained around her to keep her close. Carlisle was standing in front of them with Esme and Alice.

"How close?" Carlisle asked.

"Too close. We won't make it back in time."

"What's going on?" Bella looked up at Edward. "Please tell me what's happening."

Usually when she was involved in something dangerous, it was at least something Bella knew about. Something she had a vague idea of how to handle but this was definitely out of her comfort zone.

"We won't get back to the house before the nomads reach us. They have our scent."

Alice did her best to sound calm but she was concerned too. She didn't want Bella with them when the nomads arrived but what else could they do?

"They may just be curious," Carlisle said.

"Until they see Bella," Edward pointed out.

Alice slipped her jacket off and gave it to Bella to put on, hoping it may mask the human scent somewhat.

"Stay at the back."

Esme moved to stand beside Bella while Carlisle and Alice moved in front to greet them. They all knew the direction that they were coming from and stood, waiting.

"I'm so sorry," Edward told Bella.

Bella was about to speak when she saw three figures emerging from the edge of the forest. They headed to towards them, almost gliding across the grass in a very unnatural way. As they neared Bella could see they were dressed as hikers except for the footwear; their feet were bare.

The second that Bella saw them she closed her eyes and focused on the wall. The massive, impenetrable wall she'd always relied on to shield herself from any threats. The black walls that she could see in her mind, encompassing her in a protective circle felt terrifying at first but Bella knew they were her best chance at remaining safe.

The male in front had long dark hair while the other was blonde and hung back with a woman. She had wild red hair and was very beautiful. All of them had deep red eyes, giving away what their diet was.

"I hope we have not alarmed you," the dark haired vampire said.

"Not at all."

Carlisle was polite as always. If they were merely curious this could turn out alright. Edward could get Bella away without incident.

"I'm Laurent. This is Victoria and James."

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family. Esme, Alice, Edward and Bella."

James looked at each of them in turn. Bella kept her head down, purposely avoiding looking at him. Carlisle was drawing their focus and she was pouring every ounce of her inner strength into maintaining that wall. They hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary about her so far and while it could have been that they had simply overlooked her, Bella had a strong feeling it was her wall.

"When we came this way we had no idea that the territory had been claimed," Laurent said.

"Yes, we maintain a permanent residence."

The three nomadic vampires exchanged a look of surprise at that. Edward's grip on Bella was almost like a vice at this point, not that she was complaining. Knowing he was there was the only thing keeping her calm throughout this.

"Really?" Laurent asked. "How do you manage that?"

Bella could feel her wall starting to falter. It was taking too much out of her maintaining it at such a level.

"Why don't you come back to our home with us and we can talk comfortably?" Carlisle invited.

The use of the word home received a curious look from Victoria but Lauren nodded.

"That would be most welcome."

Cracks were beginning to appear and within seconds the wall failed. Bella tensed and Edward's eyes locked onto hers, seeing the alarm.

Carlisle was about to direct the three vampires on how to reach the house when a sudden shift occurred. The wind ruffled Bella's curls, carrying her scent across the field. Edward pushed Bella back behind him just as James snarled, nostrils flaring at the scent.

"You brought a snack!"

His incredulous expression spoke volumes. He dropped into a crouch, eyes locked on Bella. Edward was snarling at James, teeth bared and prepared to fight. Alice, Esme and Carlisle had formed a protective barrier around Bella with Edward at the centre.

"The girl is with us."

Carlisle spoke with such authority and command that Bella couldn't imagine anyone defying him. Laurent was staring past the vampires at Bella with curiosity and confusion.

"But she's human..." Laurent shook his head.

"She's with us," Carlisle repeated.

"We will not harm her."

Despite Laurent's assurance, none of the Cullens were convinced. James still hadn't taken his eyes off Bella. Edward would later tell them that her blood had called to James just like it had to Edward that first day in Biology. However James didn't have the beginnings of a mating bond to give him the strength or even the desire to resist Bella's blood.

"I think it best if you leave."

"And if we want to stay?" James titled his head, smiling slightly at Bella.

Esme grasped Bella's arm with her hand as Edward released it. Even Bella could see what was about to happen.

"James!"

Laurent was looking at James with an expression of furious anger. He didn't want any trouble. Victoria was just staring at James as if awaiting an order or command.

"I will not be party to this."

"Then leave."

It all happened so quickly. Edward sprang forward as Esme pushed Bella in the opposite direction.

"Run!"

Despite wanting nothing more than to stay and help she knew she was of no use to them. If she stayed it would only make things worse. Bella ran with Esme, both heading towards a clump of trees on the other side of the field.

Bella grimaced as she heard what sounded like boulders colliding back behind her. She wanted to look back. To know what was happening. This was unbelievable and she couldn't believe it was happening. What if one of them got hurt because of her?

Just as she reached the trees, something smacked into Bella. It felt like she had gone headlong into a wall. She hit the ground with a roll and realised it was Alice. Victoria had been seconds away from pouncing on her when Alice acted.

"Keep running!"

Alice flew at Victoria as Bella got to her feet. Seeing the pixie like vampire leap into a fight felt so wrong to Bella still she turned and ran into the forest. She had to trust that Alice and the others knew what they were doing.

Once in the forest, Bella pulled the coat off and threw it in the other direction. If that diversion could buy her even a second then she would happily take it.

Bella didn't know if it was fear or desperation that allowed her to cross the uneven ground so easily. As fast as she ran, the fight behind her moved ever closer. With everything she had, she willed herself to run faster and faster.

As she ducked a branch she heard something beside her. Turning, she gasped when James appeared beside her. He pushed her back and stumbled back into the trunk of a tree.

"I like it when they run."

Bella was ready to run but a roar from behind her distracted her enough to give James his chance. He leapt at her. She moved but not fast enough. Pain overtook everything else.

"Bella?"

Emmett tackled James, forcing him to the ground and away from Bella. She was gasping for breath that didn't come, rigid on the ground as she fought for air. When she finally took a deep lungful of air, she screamed. Her agonized cries filling the forest.

Something touched her face but her eyes wouldn't open. She tried to pull away, to move from what could be an imminent attack but her body wouldn't comply.

"Bella it's okay."

Second by second the pain built. It started with a low throb on her lower arm but escalated to the point that she was convinced it was on fire. She screamed, begging for it to stop but it only grew.

* * *

Sorry to leave it there but ... *runs*


	24. Chapter 22

A/N: I own nothing.

* * *

Edward refused to leave Bella's side.

Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Esme had taken what was left of James's body back out to the field to burn it. Victoria had vanished as James had been torn apart by Emmett and Jasper with assistance from Rosalie. Esme had stayed back, watching her children.

Edward had been only seconds away from reaching Bella when she'd been bitten. Emmett had come out of nowhere. He, Rosalie and Jasper had split up from Carlisle, Esme and Alice to try and find Edward and Bella before the nomads did.

Carlisle was trying to help Bella but he very quickly realised that she hadn't been injured in any normal way.

"He bit her!" Carlisle said looking horrified.

Alice was knelt beside her friend, gently stroking her hair, trying to offer any comfort that she could. Though Alice knew that nothing could help Bella right now.

"She's going to turn."

"No!" Edward hissed at his sister. "I won't let that happen!"

"It is happening!"

Alice knew the only way Bella and Edward had any real future was for him to turn her. Something he was adamant against. The problem was since Edward had met Bella; Alice's visions of their future had vanished. She no longer saw the future that she'd seen before Bella arrived. Alice maintained it would still happen but Edward believed otherwise.

"Enough!" Carlisle yelled. "Edward you have to make a choice. Let the change happen-"

"No!"

"Edward it's the only way."

Bella's scream halted the arguing between them. They were running out of time. Edward couldn't let her turn. He wouldn't condemn her to the existence that he had.

"You could try to suck the venom out."

Edward looked at his father in disbelief. There was no way that was an option. He'd told Carlisle what the mere scent of Bella's blood did to him and now he was suggesting that Edward suck the venom from it.

"I can't!"

"If you won't let her turn then it's the only way," Carlisle told him, seeing the desperation in his sons eyes.

"I won't be able to stop."

Edward looked set to cry. The longer the venom burned through her body, the louder and more pained her cries became. Carlisle could have tried to remove the venom himself but he had no idea how Bella would react to someone other than her mate doing something like that. In many ways it was a very intimate act.

"Then find the will Edward, she only has minutes."

Tears fell from her eyes and Edward pressed a kiss to her hand. He lifted her hand to his mouth with a restraining hold as she tried to pull away from him.

"It's okay Bella."

Her eyes opened and Edward saw the terror that filled them. He silently begged her to understand, to trust him. His mouth locked onto her arm and he began to suck the venom out.

Her body started to thrash violently; she kicked out trying to get away from Edward. Alice helped Carlisle hold of her down. Bella's eyes were wild with pain, begging for help and release.

Bella tried to form words instead of just screams but it seemed impossible. All she could do was lay there and watch. It took Bella a moment to realise that the pain was slowly starting to lessen.

Edward however was not. Her blood was intoxicating; the most potent and delicious thing to ever touch his lips.

"Edward?"

"Stop!"

Carlisle's hand took hold of Bella's arm while the other grasped Edward's shoulder, trying to pull him off her. The bloodlust had taken hold. Alice saw the anguish in his eyes. The desperation. How he knew that he needed to stop or he would kill the very reason for his existence.

"Edward!"

Bella stared at him from the ground. The intensity and profoundness of the moment clear to both of them.

"You're killing her!"

It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open. She was being pulled down. Her eyes closed and she drifted.

-x-

There was something about being carried by Carlisle. Bella couldn't help but feel completely safe in his arms. It wasn't that he was a doctor, or not just that. Everything about him projected a calm and composed man.

Bella woke as Carlisle carried her back to the house though quickly drifted back into unconsciousness. The pain was gone but the severity of what had happened was overwhelming her. Darkness was a welcome escape and she let it take over.

...

...

"I have a feeling..."

Etta glanced up from the book she'd been flipping through and appraised her younger sister.

"Yeah?"

Bella nodded trying to work out the best way to explain this. Etta had always understood the odd little quirks that made Bella who she was the same way that Bella accepted Etta for exactly who she was.

The siblings were reclining in the hammock together under the cover of the large oak trees in the garden. Etta was at one end with Bella at the other. Just like when they were little.

The glowing sunshine, warmth on her skin and brightly coloured flowers were a stark contrast to the gloom of the forest she'd been running through just a moment ago.

"I don't know what it means."

It wasn't fear or concern but it felt like it could be. She was confused and didn't know how to process this. Which could be why she was there, talking with Etta.

"Have you ever felt like that?"

"All the time," Etta smiled. "Bella, I live in a rainbow of chaos."

Bella frowned, trying to place that quote. She'd definitely heard it before but the answer wouldn't come to her.

"I like that," she said after a moment. "A rainbow of chaos."

"It seems to fit."

All sparkly and pretty but still complete and utter madness. That seemed to be the perfect description for life.

"Do you want to know my other favourite quote?" Etta asked with a grin.

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you in another life, when we are both cats."

Etta burst out laughing and Bella couldn't help herself, she ended up giggling long with her sister. Vanilla Sky was a very confusing film and Bella hadn't always understood what was happening in it, much like her life.

"Did you even see that movie?" Bella asked her.

"No, but you did."

Bella bit down on her lip for a moment before finally speaking her thoughts aloud. She had so many questions she wanted to ask Etta. She would lie in bed and work them all out for the next time she was with her sister but that time came, she never remembered them.

"Will I ever understand how this works? Being here with you?"

"Do you have to understand it? Can't you just enjoy this?" Etta gestured to the world around them.

"I guess."

Of all the things to try and understand, how she could be there with Etta wasn't a high priority. Etta was right, she should just enjoy being able to see her again.

For a little while Bella just lay back, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. Every now and then she and Etta would catch each other's eye and smile. Their own little private smile.

Upon meeting Alice, Bella had been taken aback by how much the vampire reminded her off Etta. It might have been why she'd been so hesitant of forming a friendship with her at first. She was scared of losing someone who could become really close.

One of the many questions that she'd had suddenly popped back into her head.

"Do you remember our father?"

Being several years older than Bella, Etta would have more memories of their father. She should have anyway.

"I remember the impression I had of the man I thought he was.

"I don't remember him."

There was this faceless blur in her mind when Bella thought about her father. No real, tangible memories that she could grasp hold off and claim. No bedtime stories, no trips to the park, no hugs or warm smiles. Just this blurry figure.

"I remember that he could really make our mother laugh. He could be charming."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Bella wasn't surprised to hear that. Their grandmother had muttered something about him being charismatic but she didn't mean that in a good way.

"Did he say anything to you before he left? Why he was going?" Bella asked fiddling with her necklace.

"No. He never said anything. He just... vanished."

Etta had never seemed bothered by his disappearance. She never talked about him or asked questions. It was like she didn't feel an emotional connection to their father.

"Do you miss him?" Bella asked.

"No."

"No? No hesitation, no thought? Just no."

Bella found it really hard to believe Etta had no feelings whatsoever for the man who was their biological father.

"You can't miss what you never had." Etta shrugged. "Why are you asking anyway?"

"Being in Forks has got me thinking about him."

"It can't end well."

"What can't?"Bella asked.

"Looking for him. Nothing he could possibly say would ever be enough. It wouldn't help you or heal you."

"But I'd know."

It wasn't just finding out why he'd left them behind. That had changed when she'd discovered the body in the woods. He could know what had happened. Hell, he could be responsible for what had happened. Bella couldn't just let that go.

"Bella?"

She looked up at Etta who despite smiling, was managing to look rather serious as well. The sun was fading and Bella was starting to feel rather cold.

"It's time to go back," Etta said.

Bella nodded. "I'll miss you."

-x-

Bella sat up in the bed with a start. She raised her arm, looking over every square inch of skin. For a second she didn't see anything wrong. No indication of what had caused the pain she'd felt. Pain that was still so fresh in her memory.

"Bella?"

Alice could see how worked up Bella was and slowly walked over, not wanting to alarm her. Bella continued examining herself for a moment before stopping, seemingly satisfied that she hadn't been burnt.

"I felt..."

Alice sat down on the bed and smiled at her. She could hear the frantic beating of Bella's heart and wanted to calm her. To reassure her that she'd be alright.

"It's okay. You're fine."

"What happened? I don't... I can't..."

Alice reached over and squeezed her hand softly. Bella took a breath, then another. She could feel herself starting to panic and didn't want it to go into a full blown panic attack.

"You were bitten. The venom is what caused the burning you felt," Alice explained. "You were going to become a vampire."

The look of alarm and horror that overcame Bella was quite shocking for Alice to see. She'd been so convinced that this girl would become a vampire but the mere idea of it seemed to terrify her.

"Were?"

"That won't happen now."

The relief was obvious. Bella looked back at her arm and noticed the healing wound on her wrist. It was smaller than she'd expected. Once it was completely healed it wouldn't really be noticeable.

"How did it... I thought once you were bitten that was it. You turned."

"Edward sucked the venom from your arm."

"Edward?"

Bella couldn't believe it. That Edward had done that; had tasted her blood and managed to stop himself from draining her. She was amazed. He'd told her how much he desired her blood, the struggle he went through just to be around her.

"He saved me," Bella whispered.

Alice nodded, smiling at her. She was proud of her brother despite her feelings on the subject.

"Have you and Edward discussed what would happen... if you were to be hurt?" Alice asked.

"Discussed me becoming a vampire?" Bella asked and Alice nodded. "No we haven't."

Bella hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about it because she had very strong feelings right off the bat. The idea of living forever was her worst nightmare. She'd spent seventeen years alive already and a lot of them had been miserable.

She didn't want eternity. She didn't want forever. Yes she loved Edward but that didn't mean she wanted to be a vampire.

"You don't want this."

"No," Bella shook her head. "I don't want to be a vampire."

The Cullens were very nice people but Bella had seen firsthand what vampires could be. James had been proof of that.

"That's your decision."

Alice had to respect Bella's decision. She knew that her brother would be devastated when Bella died and he was left alone again. Alice was convinced that if Edward turned Bella, that it would end up alright. That it would work out for the best.

"I got this wrong. Again," Alice confessed.

"What do you mean?"

"Edward's mate was supposed to become one of us. I saw it. I saw the two of you together for decades if not more."

"I'm sorry Alice but that's really not what I want. I cannot become a vampire."

Bella wanted to be with Edward. For now. She didn't look to the future because things were so changeable. She had faced death so many times already in a rather short life. Next week she could get killed by a bus crossing the road.

"Where is Edward?" Bella asked.

"He had to go hunting. After tasting your blood..." Alice trailed off but Bella nodded, understanding.

Of course he needed to hunt. Alice knew he would be gorging himself on animal blood in an attempt to vanquish any and all memories of Bella's own blood.

"I can drive you home."

-x-

Alice drove Bella back to the house. She offered to stay with Bella and keep her company as the house was empty when they arrived. Bella declined, telling her she needed some space and time alone.

Inside the house, Bella realised just how much time had passed since the last time she'd been there. It was midday and she should be at school. She hadn't been home since yesterday morning. Charlie would be furious when he came back from work. Thankfully she had some time to come up with answers.

Carlisle had placed a bandage over the bite wound to keep it clean and thankfully that was waterproof as the first thing Bella did was go upstairs and take a much needed shower.

After taking a shower, Bella went into her room and got her cell phone. She needed to speak to Edward.

"Hello."

"It's me. Are you okay?" Bella asked.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

Edward didn't sound fine. He sounded cold and detached. Bella sat down on the edge of the bed, curling her fingers at the edge of the towel wrapped around her.

"I'm okay because of you. You saved me despite what you had to do. I'm amazed."

"I'm glad you're alright. I have to go. I'll speak with you later."

Edward hung up the phone, leaving Bella a little shocked. She hoped it as only because he was hunting. Edward had told her he needed to keep everything separate when he hunted. Focus purely on the thirst he needed to abate.

Bella knew things would change after today. She'd seen what the majority of vampires were like. That was bound to change the relationship between her and Edward and the one she'd forged with the Cullens.

The cell phone dropped to the floor when she stood up to go and get dressed. She picked out comfortable clothes. She needed to do something to take her mind off what had happened. She needed a distraction.

Bella stripped the sheets and covers off her bed and put them in the washing bin. She carried the bin out to the landing and paused outside Charlie's bedroom. Putting the bin down, Bella opened the door and went in; looking for anything she could add.

It wasn't washing that caught her attention though. By the dresser were four cardboard boxes. The very boxes that had been in her room on the day she arrived in Forks.

"Weird."

One of the boxes was open and a file was half out. Bella paused mid step, wondering if she should take a look.

_Charlie didn't have to know._

In the end curiosity got the better of her. Bella walked over and picked up the file. She quickly recognised it as a police file. An old police file by its faded and worn appearance.

_Why would he have these?_

The date on the file was 1982. Bella opened it and nearly dropped the thing in surprise.

It was the missing persons file for Wendy Reeves. She began turning the pages, a feeling of apprehension building within her. The file was the full police report that had been filled out by the detective.

Bella put the file on the bed and pulled the boxes open. There were several other police files, one for each of the missing girls, along with other folders containing grainy photographs from various places around time, perhaps the places that the girls had last been seen.

There were a number of notebooks in the second box and Bella took a few out. Opening the first, Bella found pages and pages of handwritten notes about the girls and their disappearance. The dates on the entries were from the eighties, made by Detective Crane.

The notebook she found in the third box was newer. When she opened it, Bella recognised Charlie's handwriting.

"He's been working this case," she whispered.

Bella couldn't believe it. All this time she'd spent trying to dig things up online and piece it together, there were boxes of information and evidence under the same roof.

"Can't believe this."

She was just about to close the notebook when she noticed something sticking out. She pulled a piece of paper out that had been tucked into the back pages and unfolded it. The paper had been torn in half and only half remained.

Her hand began shaking as she read what she could of it. She realised what this piece of paper meant.

"My god..."

Quickly Bella pushed the half piece of paper back into the notebook and shut it, stuffing everything back into the boxes as fast as possible. Like the faster it was gone from sight, the faster it would be gone from her mind.

Bella jumped up and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She leaned back against it, trying to make sense of what she'd just read.

_It wasn't possible._

Ignoring the washing basket, Bella went back into her room and searched for her phone. Somehow she'd kicked it half under the chair next to the window. Once she had it, she speed dialled Edward.

"I need to see you. Now."

-x-

When Bella opened the door to Edward, everything she'd wanted to tell him vanished. He looked so serious, almost sad in a way. Immediately she wanted hug him, to tell him that everything would be okay.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked.

"There are some things I need to tell you. Will you walk with me?"

"Of course."

Edward led Bella down the garden, around the curved tree line to a more private area. Not inside the forest but closer to it than the house. When he stopped walking, she did the same. He was purposely avoiding looking at her which made her rather nervous.

"Edward?"

His eyes should have warned her that something was wrong, and not just that he hadn't hunted recently. They were pitch black, reminding her of the darkest of nights.

"Bella, we're leaving."

She didn't react, instead remaining silent and still. Those three words said so much. The gravity with which he spoke.

"It's time for us to go."

Her mind was screaming at her to do something, to say anything. It took Bella a moment to remember how to speak.

"When you say we..."

"My family and I," he answered.

"Because of the nomads... what happened."

Edward nodded. The usual warmth and affection that his eyes held when he looked at her was gone. He just surveyed her with the same indifference he did every other girl he came across.

"I could... you know, I could come with you," she whispered.

"Where we're going ... It's not the right place for you."

"Wherever you are is the right place for me. You know that."

Even as she said those words Bella knew she was fighting a losing battle. It had already been decided, she had to realise that. Bella wasn't just going to give up, though. She loved him, something she thought she was incapable of feeling and she wasn't going to let him walk away.

"I'm coming with-"

"I don't want you to come!"

Edward hadn't meant to yell at her. That was how it came out though and she jerked back as if he'd slapped her. He knew he'd won. He'd struck the final blow.

"You don't... want me."

"No."

He stared at her, eyes cold, almost dead. She searched those deep pools for anything, a flicker of affection that would tell her he still loved her. Still wanted her like she did him, but she found none.

"Of course, I'll always love you ... in a way."

This was really happening. He actually was saying those things. Something inside her seemed to react. She realised she had to do something or this would be the end.

"Don't do this."

"Bella this isn't any good. You're not good for me."

That was it.

Anything else that Edward may have said didn't register. Nothing did anymore. The world around her had become silent. An uneasy feeling of disconnection came over her - and she welcomed it.

Bella didn't know that a heart could break more than once. Just when she thought there was nothing left inside her, that nothing remained to be broken further, the pain sliced through her all over again.

That last remaining part of her, the last piece of her heart that she'd given to him had been rammed back into her, tearing her apart and breaking her all over again.

When it eventually occurred to her that she should perhaps respond, it was too late. She looked up to find herself alone. At some point he had left her there.

_No!_

Bella ran. Before she could think she was chasing after him despite not even knowing which direction he'd gone in. It was absurd yes but she couldn't stop herself. Letting him go wasn't an option, so she had to do something.

If she was running she didn't have to think. To stop and fully comprehend what had just happened. That her entire world had just been destroyed. Her heart ripped out leaving only a cavernous, never ending emptiness which could never be healed.

_He doesn't love me._

When her legs finally gave out, she didn't have the strength or will to fight against it.

_He doesn't love me._

Bella slumped to the ground, letting herself fall down onto the cold hard dirt. She was struggling to catch her breath, to believe what had just happened.

_He's gone._

A blur caught her attention. She turned her head, hoping it was him but it wasn't. She didn't even feel alarmed at what she saw.

A massive russet coloured wolf was moving towards her. She stayed on the ground, watching it. Never had she seen a wolf like this. There was no way they could grow this big.

A small distance from her, the wolf sat down and stared back at her. Tears fell down her cheeks. Exhaustion over took her and she lowered her head to the ground, closing her eyes.

She was done.

* * *

The story will continue in Velvet Crowbar. If you want to keep with me for the rest of the journey add me on alert for when i post it!

Thank you all for your support and reviews.


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